Jepson Herbarium
		University of California, Berkeley

Directory       News       Site Map       Home

Indexes to all accepted names and synonyms: | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

Perennial to shrub, rhizomed or not.
Stem: leafy or scapose.
Leaf: 2–15, basal or cauline, cauline clasping or sheathing, petioled [or reduced to scales, with short branches flattened, green, appearing leaf-like].
Inflorescence: terminal or axillary, panicle or raceme.
Flower: unisexual or bisexual, generally white (± pink); perianth parts 4 or 6, fused or not, erect, nodding or pendent; stamens (4)6, ± fused to perianth, anthers attached near base; ovary superior, chambers 2–3, style 1, stigma ± 3-lobed.
Fruit: berry, spheric, red, orange-red, or blue-black, or capsule, papery.
Seed: 1–12.
26 genera, 475 species: n hemisphere, S.Africa, n Australia; species in several genera cultivated as ornamental, house plants. Smilacina moved to Maianthemum. —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Ruscaceae

Stem: thick, woody or ± below ground.
Leaf: rosettes 6–20 dm, stiff, sword-like, base much expanded, white, fleshy.
Inflorescence: panicle or raceme-like, scapose, bracted, < 4 m.
Flower: perianth parts 6 in 2 petal-like whorls, < 6 mm, ± white; stamens 6, filaments slender; pistil reduced in staminate flowers, pistillate flowers with staminodes; ovary superior, 3-chambered, style and 3 stigmas short, ovules 2 per chamber.
Fruit: capsule, papery.
Seed: 1–3 per fruit, ovoid.
± 30 species: s US, Mex. (P.C. Nolin, French agriculturist, b. 1717) [Hess 2003 FNANM 26:415–421] Lf widths taken just above expanded leaf base.
Unabridged references: [Munz & Roos 1950 Aliso 2:217–238]

Stem: 3–21 dm, generally aboveground, erect, branches 0–several.
Leaf: 65–200 per rosette, 20–40 mm wide, generally green, base 5–16.5 cm wide, margin minute- serrate.
Inflorescence: 1.4–3.8 m; scape 26–90 mm diam at base; bracts persistent.
Seed: 3–4 mm, red-brown.
n=19,20. Pinyon/juniper woodland, rocky desert slopes; 900–2100 m. s High Sierra Nevada (Kern Plateau), e San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, Desert Mountains, Sonoran Desert.

Previous taxon: Nolina interrata
Next taxon: Scheuchzeriaceae

Contact/Feedback

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

Copyright © 2012 Regents of the University of California
We encourage links to these pages, but the content may not be downloaded for reposting, repackaging, redistributing, or sale in any form, without written permission from The Jepson Herbarium.

Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.