TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual, perennial herb, generally from rhizomes
Stem round or flat
Leaves generally mostly basal; sheath margins fused, or overlapping and generally with 2 ear-like extensions at blade junction; blade round, flat, or vestigial, glabrous or margin hairy
Inflorescence: head-like clusters or single flowers, variously arranged; bracts subtending inflorescence 2, generally leaf-like; bracts subtending inflorescence branches 12, reduced; bractlets subtending flowers generally 12, generally translucent
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals and petals similar, persistent, green to brown or purplish black; stamens generally 3 or 6, anthers linear, persistent; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers generally 1 or 3, placentas 1 and basal or 3 and axile or parietal, stigmas generally > style
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal
Seeds 3many, often with white appendages on 1 or both ends
Genera in family: 9 genera, 325 species: temp, arctic, tropical mtns. Fls late spring to early fall.
Annual, perennial herb; rhizome (if any) generally with scale-like leaves
Stem generally cylindric or flat
Leaf: blade well developed and cylindric or flat, or reduced to small point; crosswalls often present (pull fresh blade apart lengthwise to see or slide leaf between fingers to feel); appendages often present at blade-sheath junction
Inflorescence generally terminal (appearing lateral when pushed aside by lowest inflorescence bract); bractlets 02
Flowers: stamens generally 3 or 6 (2 in some very small annual taxa); pistil 1, ovary chambers 1 or 3, placentas axile or parietal, stigmas generally 3(2)
Seeds many
Species in genus: 225 species: worldwide, especially n hemisphere
Etymology: (Latin: to join or bind, from use of stems)
Reference: [Ertter 1986 Mem NY Bot Gard 39:190]
Introduced |
Annual < 10 cm
Stem thread-like, channeled, angled, or flat
Leaves basal; blade 1.53.5 cm, margins ± inrolled; sheath loose, appendages 0
Inflorescence: cluster 1 per stem; flowers 26; lower bracts 515 mm, generally > inflorescence, leaf-like, ± keeled
Flower: perianth segments as few as 2 under poor conditions, sepals 34 mm, acuminate, petals 22.5 mm, ovate, thin; stamens 3
Fruit < petals, ovoid
Seed 0.20.3 mm, asymmetric
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Uncommon. Vernal pools
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range Foothills, n Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley
Distribution outside California: scattered in south-central US; native to Eurasia, n Africa