Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

POTAMOGETONACEAE 933
Identification notes: Separable from superficially similar species of Potamogeton by the stipules adnate their entire length (vs.
separate at least at the tip in Potamogeton).
Ruppia maritima Linnaeus, Wigeon-grass, Ditch-grass. Cp (GA, NC, SC, VA): brackish estuaries, rivers, marsh pools;
common. July-October. Nearly cosmopolitan. [= RAB, C, FNA, GW, K, S, Z; > R. maritima var. maritima – F, G; > R.
maritima var. longipes Hagström – F; > R. maritima var. rostrata Agardh – F, G]
RUSCACEAE M. Roemer 1840 (Ruscus Family)
As here circumscribed, a family of about 28 genera and 500 species, of North America, Central America, Europe, and Asia. The
Convallariaceae has been supported by molecular studies (Judd 2003, Bogler & Simpson 1995). Molecular studies show that
Nolina is much more closely related to Convallaria, Polygonatum, etc. than to the Agavaceae (Yucca and Manfreda in our flora),
with which it has often been associated. References: Bogler & Simpson (1995); Bogler in Kubitzki (1998a); Yeo in Kubitzki
(1998a); Conran & Tamura in Kubitzki (1998a); Yamashita & Tamura (2000).
1 Plant with an upright stem with alternate leaves.
2 Shrub; "leaves" (actually phylloclades) coriaceous, evergreen, glossy; [exotic, rarely naturalized]; [tribe Rusceae].........
..................................................................................................................................................................................Danae
2 Herb; leaves herbaceous, deciduous, dull or slightly glossy; [native]; [tribe Polygonatae].
3 Inflorescence terminal, a raceme or panicle; tepals separate............................................................... Maianthemum
3 Inflorescence of 1-several axillary flowers; tepals fused........................................................................Polygonatum
1 Plant tufted, the leaves essentially basal (although the sheathing bases form a 'false' stem in Convallaria).
4 Leaves 2-3, narrowly elliptic; tepals fused, white or greenish; [tribe Convallarieae]...................................... Convallaria
4 Leaves many, linear; tepals separate (or fused basally), white or violet.
5 Fruit dehiscent, quickly exposing berry-like seeds with a fleshy seed coat; inflorescence spikelike, to 3 dm tall;
[aliens, scarcely naturalized from horticultural plantings]; [tribe Ophiopogoneae] ........................................ Liriope
5 Fruit indehiscent, dry and capsular; inflorescence a panicle or raceme, to 15 dm tall; [natives, of longleaf pine
woodlands of SC, GA, and FL]; [tribe Nolineae]............................................................................................. Nolina
Convallaria Linnaeus 1753 (Lily-of-the-Valley)
A genus of 3 species, of north temperate n. Eurasia and e. North America. References: Utech in FNA (2002a); Judd (2003)=Z;
Conran & Tamura in Kubitzki (1998a).
1 Leaf blades averaging 10-15 cm long, 3-5 cm wide; rhizomes short-creeping, the "individual" plants spaced closely
(typically 5-10 cm apart); flowering scape > ½ as long as the leaves; longer bracts of the inflorescence 4-10 mm long;
[introduced, persistent around old home sites and other plantings] ............................................................................C. majalis
1 Leaf blades averaging 15-35 cm long, 5-13 cm wide; rhizomes absent or long-creeping, the individual plants spaced widely
(usually at least 15 cm apart); flowering scape < ½ as long as the leaves; longer bracts of the inflorescence 8-20 mm long;
[native, of forests of the Mountains and upper Piedmont] .....................................................................................C. majuscula
* Convallaria majalis Linnaeus, European Lily-of-the-Valley. Pd, Cp, Mt (NC, VA): persistent after cultivation; rare,
introduced from Eurasia. April-May; July-August. [= F, K, W; = C. majalis var. majalis – RAB, FNA; < C. majalis – C, G, S, Z
(also see C. majuscula)]
Convallaria majuscula Greene, American Lily-of-the-Valley. Mt (GA, NC, SC, VA), Pd (NC, VA): mountain forests,
particularly in rocky woodlands or forests on or near ridgetops under northern red oak at about 1000 to 1500 m elevation,
sometimes at lower elevations (down to at least 700 m) and under Quercus montana; uncommon, rare in Piedmont (SC Rare).
April-June; August. Endemic to the Southern Appalachians: WV and VA through NC and TN to ne. GA (Jones & Coile 1988)
and nw. SC. Cronquist's (1991) statement that Southern Appalachian plants "may reflect an early escape of a different phase of
the species from cultivation" can be discounted; there is no doubt that C. majuscula is both native and taxonomically distinct, at a
varietal level at least. Utech in FNA (2002a) states that our plants are more closely related to the Asian taxon, variously treated
as C. keiskei Miquel or C. majalis var. keiskei (Miquel) Makino, than to the European C. majalis s.s. As best as can be
determined, Rafinesque's name Convallaria montana does not apply to this species. [= K; = C. majalis Linnaeus var. montana
(Rafinesque) Ahles – RAB, FNA, apparently misapplied; < C. majalis – C, G, S, Z; = C. montana Rafinesque – F, W, apparently
misapplied]
A monotypic genus, a shrub, of sw. Asia.
Danae Medikus (Alexandrian Laurel, Danaë)