Plumbaginaceae A.L. de Jussieu
Leadwort family.
Plumbaginaceae, leadwort family.
Vegetative morphology. Plants perennial herbs; 5–20(–30) cm high. Taproot present. Caudex present. Aerial stems erect; glabrous, or densely hairy. Leaves in a basal tuft; alternate; simple; evergreen. Petioles absent. Ligules absent. Blades 50–100 mm long; 1–1.5(–2.5) mm wide (wider at the sheathing base). Blades linear; flat, or involute (slightly); with inconspicuous veins. Blades adaxial surface glabrous. Blades abaxial surface glabrous. Blade margins glabrous, or with non-glandular hairs (sparse and probably glabrescent). Leaf apices acuminate.
Reproductive morphology. Flowering stems present. Flowering stems conspicuously taller than the leaves; without leaves; hairy. Inflorescence cymose, or head-like; dense; globose or subglobose; 1–2 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Pedicels absent. Involucral bracts present; number of rows 2. Outer involucral bracts blade surface flat; mostly green; obovate; glabrous; 4.5–5.5 mm high; 3–4 mm wide. Flowers per inflorescence 30–50; medium-sized, 5–15 mm in diameter or length, or large, more than 15 mm in diameter or length. Calyx sepals 5; fused; 3–4 mm long (at anthesis). Calyx green, or white or translucent; herbaceous (in flower), or scarious (in fruit); accrescent; funnel-form; 5-lobed; hairy. Calyx hairs white or translucent. Petals free; longer than the calyx (at anthesis); 5; red, or pink; spatulate; 7–9 mm long; 3–3.5 mm wide. Stamens 5; fused to the corolla (at the base); filaments glabrous. Anthers ellipsoid; 1–1.5 mm long. Gynoecia superior. Carpels syncarpous; 5. Ovaries subglobose; glabrous. Styles 5; 4.5–5.5 mm long. Stigmas per style 1. Placentation basal. Ovules 1. Fruit with calyx persisting; a nut; ovoid; indehiscent.
Distribution. Northern hemisphere distribution: Greenland, Canada.
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).