2. Lepuropetalon Elliott, Sketch Bot. S. Carolina. 1: 370. 1817.
[Greek lepyron, scale, and petalon, petals, alluding to scalelike petals inserted into calyx] [Greek lepyron, scale, and petalon, petals, alluding to scalelike petals inserted into calyx]
Dayle E. Saar
Herbs, winter annual, <often hemispheric tufts>. Stems erect, branched or unbranched. Leaves basal and cauline, alternate or subopposite; stipules absent; petiole present; blade margins entire; venation palmate. Inflorescences terminal, cymules or flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric or weakly asymmetric; perianth and androecium perigynous; hypanthium completely adnate to ovary; sepals 5, connate proximally; petals 0 or (4–)5, white, <0–0.4 mm, much shorter than sepals>; nectary absent; stamens 5; staminodes 5, opposite petals, undivided, not gland-tipped; pistil 3-carpellate; ovary inferior, 1-locular, placentation parietal; styles 3, weakly connate proximally; stigmas 3; ovules 40–70. Fruits capsules, 1-locular, <3-valved>, obpyramidal, apex not beaked. Seeds 40–70 per fruit, oblong, not winged; aril absent. x = 23.
Species 1: sc, se United States, Mexico, South America (Chile, Uruguay).
SELECTED REFERENCE Ward, D. B. and A. K. Gholson. 1987. The hidden abundance of Lepuropetalon spathulatum (Saxifragaceae) and its first reported occurrence in Florida. Castanea 52: 59–66.
