[Greek sarkos, flesh, and -odes, resemblance, alluding to red, fleshlike appearance of inflorescence]

Gary D. Wallace

Herbs, achlorophyllous, heterotrophic. Stems absent. Leaves absent. Inflorescences racemes, erect at emergence from soil, axis fleshy and fibrous, persistent after seed dispersal, bright red to dark orange, 2-10 cm diam. proximal to proximalmost flower. Pedicels perpendicular to inflorescence axis, often more erect in fruit; bracteoles absent. Flowers radially symmetric, horizontal; sepals 5, distinct, lanceolate-ovate; petals 5, connate, red, without basal tubercles, (surfaces glabrous), corolla campanulate; intrastaminal nectary disc present; stamens 10, included; filaments broader proximally than distally, glabrous; anthers elongate, without awns, without tubules, dehiscent by 2 terminal, porelike slits; pistil 5-carpellate; ovary 5-locular; placentation axile; style straight, stout; stigma subcapitate, without subtending ring of hairs. Fruits capsular, horizontal to erect, indehiscent to irregularly breaking apart, no cobwebby tissue exposed by splitting valves at dehiscence. Seeds 100+, ovoid, not winged. x = 32.

Species 1: w United States, nw Mexico.

Lower Taxon

• Sarcodes sanguinea Torrey