Lechea torreyi
Lechea
Piedmont pinweed
pinweed
basal produced; flowering erect, 30–50 cm, densely sericeous.
of flowering stems alternate to subopposite;
blade linear to narrowly elliptic, 10–20 × 1–1.5 mm, apex acute, abaxial surface pilose, adaxial glabrous.
alternate, subopposite, opposite, or whorled, petiolate or sessile;
blade 1-veined from base, linear to elliptic or ovate, oblanceolate, or orbiculate, margins revolute.
paniculate or racemose, loose or congested, axils 1–3-flowered, bracteolate.
1 per axil, 0.5–1.5 mm.
present.
calyx 1.8–2.1 mm, outer sepals shorter than inner.
chasmogamous;
sepals 5, outer 2 linear to linear-lanceolate, inner 3 ovate to obovate, sometimes indurate in fruit;
petals 3, maroon or green, usually shorter than sepals;
stamens (3–)5–15(–25);
carpels 3;
style 0–0.5 mm;
stigmas 3, dark red, fimbriate-plumose, sometimes persistent in fruit.
ovoid, 1.5–1.7 × 1.4–1.5 mm, shorter than or ± equaling calyx, with persistent stigma.
3-valved, exserted beyond calyx or not.
3–6.
1–6 per capsule, ovoid, often compressed laterally, with or without easily separating membranous coat.
= 9 or unknown.
Lechea torreyi
Lechea
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The flowers of Lechea species are at anthesis only early in the day and most collections comprise fruiting individuals. In the key here, specimens lacking fruit and seeds can be difficult to determine with certainty. Regional treatments (for example, K. Barringer 2004; D. D. Spaulding 2013) can be very useful for identification.
Species 18 (16 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Panicles loosely flowered; inner sepals brown in fruit, sometimes with some rust coloration; seeds 4–6 1 6a. Lechea torreyi var. torreyi | → 1 |
1. Panicles congested; inner sepals rust colored in fruit; seeds 3 | var. congesta |
1. Flowering stems spreading-villous | → 2 |
2. Basal stems not produced; leaves of flowering stems: blade 5–8 mm; capsules ellipsoid, distinctly longer than calyx. | L. divaricata |
2. Basal stems produced; leaves of flowering stems: blade 10–30 mm; capsules subglobose, equaling or slightly longer than calyx. | L. mucronata |
3. Pedicels 3–5 mm; seeds (4–)6. | L. san-sabeana |
5. Pedicels 1–2 mm; calyx indurate, shiny, yellow-brown basally in fruit. | L. racemulosa |
6. Capsules ovoid to broadly ovoid, ± equaling calyx | → 8 |
7. Leaves of flowering stems whorled or opposite, blade 4–7 mm wide. | L. minor |
7. Leaves of flowering stems alternate or subopposite, blade 0.3–1.5 mm wide. | L. sessiliflora |
8. Seeds 1(–2); capsules 1.2–1.3 mm diam. | L. mensalis |
8. Seeds 2–3(–5); capsules 1.3–1.5 mm diam. | L. tenuifolia |
9. Stems and leaves glabrous. | L. lakelae |
9. Stems and leaves hairy, at least in part | → 10 |
10. Leaf blades densely hairy on both surfaces; pedicels 2–3 per axil. | L. cernua |
10. Leaf blades glabrous or sparsely hairy adaxially, hairy abaxially at least on midvein and margins; pedicels 1 per axil | → 11 |
11. Capsules ellipsoid to ovoid or obovoid, length mostly 2+ times diam | → 12 |
12. Stigmas not persistent on capsule; calyx indurate, shiny, yellow-brown basally in fruit. | L. racemulosa |
12. Stigmas persistent on capsule; calyx not indurate, shiny, yellow-brown basally in fruit. | L. sessiliflora |
13. Subshrubs; seeds 1(–2). | L. deckertii |
13. Herbs; seeds 2–6 | → 14 |
14. Capsules longer than calyx. | L. pulchella |
14. Capsules shorter than or ± equaling calyx | → 15 |
15. Seeds with membranous gray coat. | L. intermedia |
15. Seeds without membranous gray coat | → 16 |
16. Capsules mostly 2+ mm diam.; c Canada, midwestern United States. | L. stricta |
16. Capsules mostly to 2 mm diam.; coastal plain | → 17 |
17. Leaves of flowering stems: blade narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate, 1.2–4 mm wide; capsules 1.5–1.9 mm diam.; n coastal plain south to ne North Carolina. | L. maritima |
17. Leaves of flowering stems: blade linear to narrowly elliptic, 1–1.5 mm diam.; s coastal plain north to se North Carolina. | L. torreyi |
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