Nartheciaceae Fr. ex J. Bjurzon
Nartheciaceae (Liliaceae), Tofieldia family.
Vegetative morphology. Leaves in a basal tuft; alternate. Petioles absent. Ligules absent. Blades 10–50(–70) mm long; 1–3 mm wide. Blades spreading; straight; linear; without auricles; flat; veins parallel. Blades adaxial surface glabrous. Blades abaxial surface glabrous. Blade margins glabrous. Leaf apices acuminate, or acute (but without calloses).
Reproductive morphology. Flowering stems present. Flowering stems with leaves, or without leaves; glabrous. Leaf or reduced bract closely associated with the base of the inflorescence absent. Inflorescence head-like; dense; oblong, or globose or subglobose, or cylindrical; 0.5–1.5 cm long; 5–8 mm wide. Pedicels absent (subtended by small bract). Involucral bracts on pedicels with bract leaves. Flowers per inflorescence 4–15; small, less than 5 mm in diameter or length. Calyx sepals 3; free; 2–3 mm long. Calyx green, or yellow, or purple; petaloid; glabrous. Petals free; same length as the calyx; 3; green, or white, or yellow, or purple; obovate; 2–3 mm long. Stamens 6. Anthers yellow (and persisting); subglobose; 0.3–0.4 mm long. Gynoecia superior. Carpels syncarpous; 3. Ovaries glabrous. Styles absent (or very short with a stubby stigma). Stigmas per style 1. Ovules 15–30. Fruit with calyx persisting; dry; a capsule; spherical, or ovoid, or obovate; dehiscent. Fruit 1–2 mm long; 1–2 mm wide; yellowish, or black, or brown. Seeds 5–30; 0.5–1 mm long; brown; with surfaces smooth.
Cite this publication as: ‘S.G. Aiken, M.J. Dallwitz, L.L. Consaul, C.L. McJannet, L.J. Gillespie, R.L. Boles, G.W. Argus, J.M. Gillett, P.J. Scott, R. Elven, M.C. LeBlanc, A.K. Brysting and H. Solstad. 1999 onwards. Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 29th April 2003. http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/’. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).