Eriocaulon decangulare
Eriocaulon texense
ten-angle pipewort
Texas pipewort
linear or linear-attenuate, abruptly, then gradually, narrowing, 10–40(–50) cm, apex acute or obtuse.
linear-attenuate, (1–)2–5(–7) cm, apex subulate.
scape sheaths shorter than principal leaves;
scapes linear, distally 1–2(–3) mm wide, multiribbed;
heads dull white, hemispheric to nearly globose, 7–15 mm wide, hard, very slightly flattened when pressed;
receptacle copiously hairy;
involucral bracts reflexed, obscured by reflexed proximal bracteoles and flowers, straw-colored, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 2–4 mm, margins erose to entire, apex acute, glabrous or apex with white, club-shaped hairs;
inner bracts and receptacular bracteoles pale, linear to oblong or lanceolate, 3–4 mm, margins entire, sometimes becoming erose, apex narrowly acuminate, glabrous or apex with white, club-shaped hairs.
scape sheaths mostly longer than principal leaves, inflated;
scapes filiform to linear, 0.5–1 mm wide, 4–7-ribbed;
mature heads white or gray, hemispheric to nearly globose, 5–10 mm wide, soft, much flattened when pressed;
receptacle pilose;
involucral bracts becoming reflexed, obscured by bracteoles and proximal flowers, straw-colored to gray, suborbiculate to broadly obovate, 1.5 mm, margins entire, apex rounded to apiculate, glabrous;
inner bracts, receptacular bracteoles gray to dark gray, obovate to cuneate, 1.5 mm, apex obtuse to acute, blade densely ciliate, hairs white, club-shaped.
sepals 2, yellow-white, linear, curved, 3 mm, distal surface abaxially, adaxially with white, club-shaped hairs;
androphore club-shaped;
petals 2, yellow-white, translucent, triangular to linear, nearly equal, with small tuft of white, club-shaped hairs abaxially at apex;
stamens 4;
anthers black.
sepals 2, proximally pale, distally dark gray, opaque, linear-spatulate, 1.5 mm, apex acute, distal adaxial surfaces, margins with white, club-shaped hairs;
androphore club-shaped;
petals 2, unequal, narrowly triangular, short, apically ciliate with white, club-shaped hairs;
stamens 4;
anthers black.
sepals 2, yellow-white, linear, 2–3 mm, apex acute, abaxially with white, club-shaped hairs at apex;
petals 2, pale, spatulate or narrowly elliptic, 1–2 mm, abaxially with translucent hairs proximally, white, club-shaped hairs distally, or adaxially glabrescent;
pistil 2-carpellate.
sepals 2, dark gray, narrowly oblong-obovate, curved, keeled, 1.5 mm, keels with white, club-shaped hairs;
petals 2, yellow-white, linear to oblong or obovate, 1–1.5 mm, apex acute, blade ciliate with white, club-shaped hairs, adaxial surfaces pilose with mixture of translucent, tapering and white, club-shaped hairs;
pistil 2-carpellate.
pale brown, ellipsoid, 0.75–1 mm, very finely cancellate or sometimes with cancellae concealed by rows of delicate nearly appressed hairs.
brownish, ovoid or broadly ellipsoid, 0.6 mm, indistinctly alveolate, proximal ribs often with fine pale papillae.
Eriocaulon decangulare
Eriocaulon texense
A possible variety, Eriocaulon decangulare var. latifolium Chapman ex Moldenke [in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 19(1): 21. 1937], has yet to be thoroughly investigated. This plant typically is in the taller range and has thicker stems and scapes than in the type; it has very stiff blunt leaves to 50 cm × 13–20 mm with thicker scapes, heads 13–20 mm wide, and floral parts in the high range for the species. It occurs in wetter situations than usual for the species, and (fide R. R. Haynes, pers. comm.) flowers later. This morphology occurs in northwestern Florida and southern Alabama within boggy edges of cypress-titi-Nyssa on permanently wet substrates.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
In habit Eriocaulon texense is much like a diminutive version of E. compressum, likewise preferring deep bogs and also just as variable in the color of its bracts, bracteoles, and perianth.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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