Key to Piperia

View taxon page for Piperia

(For a list of species in Piperia, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Spur 6–18 mm (2.5–9 mm in Piperia cooperi, keyed only under 1')

2. Spur ± straight, perpendicular to inflorescence axis; upper sepal pointed forward; stem generally < 3 mm diam ..... P. transversa

2' Spur ± curved, parallel to inflorescence axis; upper sepal 

ascending 

Curving or angling upward from base, or about 30-60 degrees less than vertical or away from axis of attachment.

to 

erect 

Upright; vertically oriented.

to curved back; stem generally > 3 mm diam

3. Sepals white with dark green midvein ..... P. elegans subsp. elegans

3' Perianth green to yellow-green

4. Lip deltate-ovate; lower sepals 

spreading 

Oriented more or less perpendicularly to the axis of attachment; often, more or less horizontal.

..... P. michaelii

4' Lip narrowly 

lanceolate 

Narrowly elongate, widest in the basal half, often tapered to an acute tip.

or lance-deltate; lower sepals ± 

reflexed 

Abruptly bent or curved downward or backward.

5. Lateral petals ± sickle-shaped, 2 mm wide at base, 2–3 × as long ..... P. elongata

5' Lateral petals 

linear 

Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.

, 1 mm wide at base, 4–5 × as long ..... P. leptopetala (2)

1' Spur 1–6(9) mm

6. Perianth mostly white or white-margined on upper sepal, lateral petals, mostly white on lower sepals, lip; lip pointed down toward spur

7. Inflorescence generally ± 1-sided; stem bracts < 6; lip ± 

ovate 

Egg-shaped (i.e., widest below the middle) in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane), as a leaf.

, ± 

obtuse 

Having a short-tapered, blunt tip or base, the sides convex or straight and converging at more than a right angle.

..... P. candida

7' Inflorescence ± not 1-sided; stem bracts > 6; lip ± ovate or not, ± 

acute 

Having a short-tapered, sharp tip, the sides convex or straight and converging at less than a right angle.

8. Lateral petals ovate to lance-oblong, white margins ± equal; stem base swollen toward tuber; fragrance at night ..... P. elegans subsp. decurtata

8' Lateral petals sickle-shaped, white margins unequal, outer much wider than inner; stem base narrowed toward tuber; fragrance in daytime ..... P. yadonii

6' Perianth green; lip ± straight to strongly upcurved above middle

9. Spur < lip, 1–2.5 mm; leaves grass-like, erect, 3–10(19) mm wide ..... P. colemanii

9' Spur >= lip, 2–9 mm; leaves not grass-like, 

prostrate 

Lying flat on the ground.

to spreading, (5)10–40 mm wide

10. Lateral petals linear, 4–5 × longer than wide; spur 

tapered 

Gradually (not abruptly) narrower or smaller at base or tip.

; fragrance lemony or otherwise pleasant but not honey-like ..... P. leptopetala (2)

10' Lateral petals lanceolate to deltate-ovate, < 3.5 × longer than wide; spur 

cylindric 

Elongate, with parallel sides and, at any point, round in transverse section.

, blunt; fragrance musky, soapy, or honey-like

11. Inflorescence axis <= 

peduncle 

Stalk of an individual flower borne singly, not in an inflorescence, or of an entire inflorescence, or the corresponding structure in fruit; the stalk subtending an involucre (e.g., in Asteraceae, Polygonaceae).

; lip deltate-ovate; fragrance honey-like; stem long-tapered toward tuber ..... P. cooperi

11' Inflorescence axis generally > peduncle; lip broadly ovate to lance-elliptic; fragrance musky, soapy, or honey-like; stem uniform or swollen toward tuber ..... P. unalascensis

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