Chamaelirium luteum, commonly known as Blazing-Star, Devil's Bit, Fairy Wand, False Unicorn, is a perennial herb native to the eastern United States. It can be found in a variety of habitats, including wet meadows and deciduous woodlands.
Chamaelirium | |
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Inflorescence, as flowers are just beginning to open | |
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Genus: | Chamaelirium
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Species: | C. luteum
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Binomial name | |
Chamaelirium luteum |
Chamaelirium luteum has a basal rosette of around six 8-15cm leaves, from which a single spike-like raceme inflorescence (1-1.5cm diameter, 8-30cm length) emerges. The plants are generally dioecious, with male-biased gender ratios in a given population. This is due to higher mortality of female plants, and the tendency of female plants to flower less frequently. Female stalks tend to be taller, giving a total maximum plant height of about 12dm, but also tend to have about ten times fewer flowers.[1]
C. luteum is the only member of its monotypic genus, and is quite rare at the fringes of its range.[2]
References
- ^ Meagher, T. R. (1982). "The population biology of Chamaelirium luteum, a dioecious member of the lily family: life history studies". Ecology. 63 (6). Ecological Society of America: 1690–1700. doi:10.2307/1940111.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Allard, D. J. (2003). Chamaelirium luteum (L.) A. Gray (Devil's Bit). Conservation and Research Plan for New England (PDF). New England Wild Flower Society, Framingham,
Massachusetts, USA.
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