| 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 |
Perennial, stem- or root-parasites lacking chlorophyll, generally monoecious or dioecious
Stem reduced to thread-like tissue underground or inside host stem
Leaf scale-like
Inflorescence: short spike or flower solitary
Flower generally unisexual, radial, fleshy; sepals 4–16, often fused at base; petals 0; stamens 5–many, fused to style axis forming a column that is generally expanded at tip into a disk with stigmatic areas or stamens along or under margin; ovary ± inferior, chambers 1–several, placentas parietal
Fruit various, generally fleshy
Seeds many, minute
Genera in family: ± 8 genera ± 50 species: worldwide, especially tropical. Poorly known taxonomically. Rafflesia species have world's largest flowers (1 m diam); Pilostyles flowers are < 2 mm diam.
Perennial, stem parasites
Stem appearing 0
Leaves reduced to bracts subtending flower
Inflorescence: flower solitary
Flower minute; sepals 4–5
Staminate flower: anthers many, sessile on column under margin of disk
Pistillate flower: ovary inferior, chamber 1, stigmas in ring along disk margin
Fruit: fleshy capsule
Species in genus: 20 species: tropical Am, Africa, Australia, sw Asia (especially Iran)
Etymology: (Latin: hair pillar, from the central column)
Only flowers and bracts are visible on surface of host stem.
| Native |
Flower < 2 mm, brown or maroon; bracts 4–7, 1–1.5 mm, overlapping, round or ovate; sepals like bracts; disk < 1 mm diam; stamens in ring of ± 3 rows
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Open desert scrub
Elevation: 0–300 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Sonoran Desert (Riverside, San Diego, Imperial cos.)
Distribution outside California: to Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Mexico
Flowering time: Jan
Parasitic on Psorothamnus , especially P. emoryi.