Xerophyllum tenax
Xerophyllum
bear-grass, common beargrass, elk-grass, Indian-basket-grass, quip-quip, soap grass, squaw-grass, western turkeybeard
basket-grass, bear-grass, turkey-beard
(0.8–)1.2–1.8(–2) m. Leaf blade 2–8(–10) dm × 2–4(–6) mm.
erect, simple, robust.
persistent, mostly basal, spiral, arching, dilated proximally, reduced distally;
blade filiform-linear, keeled, rigid, margins serrulate, apex wiry pointed, densely tufted.
5–7 dm.
at first corymbose, becoming elongate, terminal-racemose, densely flowered, bracteate.
erect or spreading, semirotate;
perianth hypogynous;
tepals persistent, 6, spreading, distinct, creamy white, 5–7-veined, oblong or obovate, equal to subequal, claws absent, tepal nectaries absent;
stamens 6, weakly epitepalous, divergent, distinct, 3–4 mm;
filaments distinct, subulate, dilated proximally;
anthers dorsifixed, versatile, 2-locular (not confluent), extrorse;
gynoecium weakly syncarpous;
ovary superior, 3-locular;
septal nectaries absent;
styles persistent, 3, recurved, distinct;
stigmas papillate along adaxial apex;
pedicel spreading or erect, 3–5 cm.
capsular, 3-lobed, globular to ovoid, dehiscence loculicidal.
5–7 mm.
4 per locule.
2–4 per locule, greenish brown, wingless, oblong-fusiform, 3-angled, 3–4 mm, glossy.
oblong to lanceolate, 6–9 × 2–3 mm;
styles 4 mm.
= 15.
= 30.
Xerophyllum tenax
Xerophyllum
Xerophyllum tenax, variable in plant and flower size, is without evident geographic races (S. M. Maule 1959). Similar in most respects to X. asphodeloides but more robust, X. tenax typically has twice the number of flowers (F. H. Utech 1978c). The leaf fibers were used by native tribes for garments and decorative, watertight baskets. The bulbous rhizomes were roasted for several days before being eaten.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 2 (2 in the flora).
Xerophyllum, an endemic genus with one species in eastern and one in western North America, is distinct from other melanthoid genera with which it has long been associated (J. D. Ambrose 1975, 1980; P. Goldblatt 1995; C. Sterling 1980; M. Takahashi and S. Kawano 1989; F. H. Utech 1978c) and has recently been segregated in the tribe Xerophylleae S. Watson within the Melanthiaceae sensu stricto (M. N. Tamura 1998; W. B. Zomlefer 1997b), or in the monotypic family Xerophyllaceae (A. L. Takhtajan 1994, 1997).
Xerophyllum tenax and X. asphodeloides are both cultivated for their showy, white racemes. Any given offshoot plant may not flower for several years, but ultimately an unbranched, strongly bracteate, flowering stalk is produced which, along with the surrounding leaves, dies after fruiting.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Stems (0.8–)1.2–1.8(–2) m; leaf blade 2–8(–10) dm × 2–4(–6) mm; racemes 5–7 dm; w Cordilleras. | X. tenax |
1. Stems (0.5–)0.8–1(–1.5) m; leaf blade 3–5 dm × 1–2.5 mm; racemes 1.5–3 dm; e mountains and coastal pine barrens | X. asphodeloides |
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