|
13. Caltha Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 558. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 244, 1754.
Marsh-marigold, populage [Greek name for some yellow-flowered plants]
Bruce A. Ford
Herbs , perennial, from thick caudices 0.5-2 cm or slender stolons. Leaves basal and cauline, simple; proximal leaves petiolate, distal leaves sessile or nearly so; cauline leaves alternate. Leaf blade unlobed, oblong-ovate to orbiculate-reniform or cordate, margins entire, dentate, or crenate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, 1-6-flowered cymes or flowers solitary, to 22 cm; bracts leaflike, not forming involucre. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric; sepals not persistent in fruit, 5-12, white, pinkish, yellow, or orange, plane, oval-orbiculate to narrowly obovate, 4-23 mm; petals absent; stamens 10-40; filaments filiform; staminodes absent between stamens and pistils; pistils 5-55, simple; ovules 15-35 per pistil; style 0.1-2 mm. Fruits follicles, aggregate, sessile or stipitate, linear-oblong to ellipsoid, sides prominently veined or not; beak terminal, straight or weakly curved, 0.2-2 mm. Seeds brown, elliptic to broadly elliptic, rugulose. x =8.
Species 10 (3 in the flora): primarily temperate wetlands, worldwide.
SELECTED REFERENCES Smit, P. G. 1973. A revision of Caltha (Ranunculaceae). Blumea 21: 119-150.
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Stems leafless, or with 1 leaf; sepals white to yellow, not orange or pinkish. |
|
1 Caltha leptosepala |
| + |
Stems leafy; sepals white, yellow, or orange, or pinkish. |
|
(2) |
| |
|
|
|
| 2 (1) |
Stems creeping or floating, rooting at nodes; sepals white or pinkish, 4–7(–8) mm; follicles 20–55, bodies 3.2–6.5 mm; seeds 0.5–0.8 mm. |
|
2 Caltha natans |
| + |
Stems erect, or sprawling with age and then producing shoots and roots at nodes; sepals yellow or orange, (6–)10–25 mm; follicles 5–15(–25), bodies 8–15 mm; seeds 1.5–2.5 mm. |
|
3 Caltha palustris |
|
|
|
Lower Taxa
| Related Links (opens in a new window) |
|
Treatments in Other Floras @ www.efloras.org
Other Databases
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
