keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

THEMIDACEAE
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cover for various aquatic organisms, including waterfowl, and the fruits can be an important
wildlife food. The seeds are apparently dispersed in part by floating on water (Yatskievych
1999), and seedlings develop only when submersed in water (Cook & Nicholls 1986). The common
name is derived from the bur-like female heads with their persistent, beak-like styles.
(Probably Greek: sparganion, a name used by Dioscorides for some plant, perhaps Butomus
umbellatus L.; derived from sparganon, swathed or swaddling band, in reference to the long,
narrow, strap-shaped leaves—Kaul 2000).
REFERENCES: Fernald 1922; Beal 1960b; Cook & Nicholls 1986, 1987.
1. Lateral inflorescence branches (if present) usually with 1–3 female heads; leaves erect but not
stiff, flat to slightly keeled at base; fruiting heads 15–25 mm in diam.; fruit bodies (3.5–)4–5(–7)
mm long, ca. 2 mm in diam., dull and brown to dark brown above; fruit beaks (1.5–)3–4.5(–5) mm
long; stigmas 1–2 mm long; pedicels of female flowers and fruits 1–2(–3) mm long _________ S. americanum
1. Lateral inflorescence branches usually with only male heads (female heads only on main inflorescence
axis); leaves erect and at least the middle ones stiff and usually strongly keeled to at
least the middle; fruiting heads 25–35 mm in diam.; fruit bodies 5–7 mm long, 2.5–3 mm in
diam., shiny and light brown above; fruit beaks (4–)4.5–7 mm long; stigmas 2–4 mm long; pedicels
of female flowers and fruits 2.4–4 mm long ________________________________________ S. androcladum
Sparganium americanum Nutt., (of America), AMERICAN BUR-REED. Plant emergent and erect or
sometimes submersed; flowering stems 30–ca. 100 cm long; basal leaves rarely exceeding the
inflorescence, 30–100 cm long, (5–)6–12 mm wide, flat to slightly keeled at base; inflorescence
10–25(–30) cm long, with up to 3 branches or sometimes simple; lowermost bract of inflorescence
1–2 times as long as the inflorescence; female heads axillary, usually sessile, in fruit ca.
15–25 mm in diam.; male heads 10–15(–18) mm in diam.; pedicels of female flowers or fruits 1–
2(–3) mm long; fruits dull and brown to dark brown above, sometimes pitted, with a straight or
curved (but not hooked) beak. Shallow, still or flowing water; Pineywoods and n Post Oak Savannah;
e Canada and throughout e U.S. w to MN and TX. Apr–Jun. This species is quite variable
morphologically (Beal 1960b). m/299
Sparganium androcladum (Engelm.) Morong, (with staminate branches), BRANCHED BUR-REED,
STAMINATE BUR-REED. Plant usually emergent; flowering stems 40–100(–120) cm tall; basal
leaves exceeding the inflorescence, to 100 cm or more long, 5–12(–15) mm wide, distinctly
keeled from base to at least the middle (often to near apex); lowermost bract of inflorescence
exceeding the inflorescence; female heads axillary, sessile, in fruit 25–35 mm in diam.; male
heads ca. 10–15 mm in diam.; pedicels of female flowers or fruits 2.4–4 mm long; fruits shiny
and light brown above, pitted and glandular below, with a usually curved, often hooked beak.
Shallow water, swamps, marshes, along shores; reported for “e. Tex.” by Correll and Johnston
(1970) and for the Pineywoods, Post Oak Savannah, and Gulf Prairies and Marshes by Hatch et
al. (1990); however, according to Cook and Nicholls (1987) and the range map in Kaul (2000), S.
androcladum is a species primarily of the ne U.S. that extends s only to OK; se Canada and e
U.S. from ME s to TN w to MN, OK, and ?TX. While no East TX specimens have been seen, it is
included here based on the possibility of its occurrence; no county distribution map is provided.
Apr–Jun. [S. lucidum Fernald & Eames]
THEMIDACEAE Salisb.
CLUSTER-LILY FAMILY
AA small family (12 genera and ca. 60 species) of w North America, from sw Canada through
the w U.S. and Mexico, with 1 species reaching Guatemala (Rahn 1998b). The family includes
Brodiaea (CLUSTER-LILY) and its relatives. A few (e.g., species of Androstephium and Brodiaea)
are grown as ornamentals. The genera have been variously treated in terms of family affiliation.