Triglochin maritima
Lilaea scilloides
(synonym of Triglochin scilloides)
arrow-grass, common arrow-grass, saltmarsh arrow-grass, seaside arrow-grass, troscart maritime
awl-leaf arrow-grass, awl-leaf lilaea, flowering-quillwort
erect from sheath, mostly shorter than scape, 2.2–11.5 cm;
sheath 0.7–2.5 cm × 1–1.8 mm, ligule occasionally hoodlike, apically 2-lobed;
blade 0.9–1.4 mm wide, apex obtuse to round.
to 35 cm;
sheath 2–5 cm;
blade 15–30 cm × 0.9–3.1 mm.
scape often purple near base, mostly exceeding leaves, 1–16.5 cm × 0.5–1 mm;
racemes 6–45 cm × 1.5–7 mm;
pedicel 1–4 × 0.2–0.3 mm.
axillary or sessile, the axillary scapose, 0.3–4 cm × 1.5–8 mm;
scape 8–10 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm.;
sessile inflorescences solitary flowers.
tepals elliptic, 1.3–1.7 × 0.6–1.4 mm, apex acute;
pistils 6, all fertile.
sessile;
perianth 1–1.5 × 0.5 mm;
anther 0.5 × 0.4 mm;
ovary 1–2 mm;
style 0.5 mm (bisexual), 30 cm (pistillate).
fruiting receptacle without wings;
schizocarps linear to near globose, 2–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm;
mericarps linear to linear-obovate, weakly ridged, 1.5–3.5 × 0.7–1 mm, beak erect to recurved, 0.2 mm.
2–5 mm.
= 12, 24, 36, 48, 120.
= 12.
Triglochin maritima
Lilaea scilloides
This taxon has been separated into Triglochin concinna and T. maritima based upon the lobing of the ligule and the smaller size of the plants of the former (e.g., J. L. Reveal 1977; R. F. Thorne 1993). On a local basis such a separation seems warranted. Examination of the T. maritima complex throughout the Americas, however, reveals continuous variation from small, widely spaced plants with 2-lobed ligules to large, tufted plants with unlobed ligules, including plants with all combinations of those characters.
Triglochin maritima is important in livestock management because it is quite toxic: it is a cyanide producer.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The taxonomic position of Lilaea is uncertain. The genus often is treated as a monotypic family (Lilaeaceae) that is closely allied to the Juncaginaceae. Lilaea, for example, possesses lactifers, unknown in other Juncaginaceae. The lactifers, plus uncertainty regarding the interpretation of floral morphology in Lilaea, prompted a decision to retain it in the Liliaeaceae pending further study (P. B. Tomlinson 1982). Embryologic, cytologic, and palynologic evidence, however, indicate a close relationship between Lilaea and other genera of the Juncaginaceae. Despite the presence of lactifers, Lilaea has been considered similar enough to warrant the inclusion of the genus in the Juncaginaceae (A. Cronquist 1981). Molecular evidence also corroborates the close relationship between Lilaea and Triglochin (D. L. Les and R. R. Haynes 1995).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
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WildflowerSearch
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- Local floras: BC, CA, OR, WA
- Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria
- WildflowerSearch
- iNaturalist (observations)
- USDA Plants Database
- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
