Triglochin scilloides

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Triglochin scilloides
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Juncaginaceae
Genus: Triglochin
Species:
T. scilloides
Binomial name
Triglochin scilloides
(Poir.) Mering & Kadereit[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Anthericum scilloides (Poir.) Schult. & Schult.f.
  • Heterostylus gramineus Hook.
  • Lilaea scilloides (Poir.) Hauman
  • Lilaea scilloides var. batucoanus Gunckel
  • Lilaea subulata Bonpl.
  • Lilaea superba Rojas
  • Liliago scilloides (Poir.) C.Presl
  • Phalangium scilloides Poir.

Triglochin scilloides, synonym Lilaea scilloides, is a species of aquatic plants native from western Canada to Mexico, and to western and southern South America. It has been introduced into Portugal and Spain.[1] English names include flowering quillwort.[2] At one time, it was the only species accepted in the genus Lilaea.[3]

Description

Triglochin scilloides is an annual herb growing in or just next to water in several types of shallow aquatic habitat, including vernal pools, mudflats, streams, ponds and ditches.[4] The plant takes the form of a tuft of basal leaves around a very short stem. Each onionlike leaf is very narrow, long and pointed, reaching 25 to 40 cm long. It is wrapped in a translucent sheath at the base. The inflorescences include clusters of staminate and bisexual flowers at the tip of a narrow stalk as well as pistillate flowers in underwater axils. The pistillate flower is composed of a threadlike style which may be up to 30 cm[5] long tipped with a stigma which floats on the water surface. The fruit is a beaked, ribbed nutlet up to 1 cm long.

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1804 by Jean Louis Marie Poiret, as Phalangium scilloides. In 1925, it was moved to the genus Lilaea as Lilaea scilloides,[1] where it was accepted at one time as the only species in a monotypic genus.[3] In 2010, it was moved to Triglochin scilloides, the name accepted by Plants of the World Online as of March 2024.[1]

References

  1. "Triglochin scilloides (Poir.) Mering & Kadereit". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  2. "Please verify". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-02.
  3. "Search for 'Lilaea'". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  4. "Phylogeny, biogeography and evolution of Triglochin L. (Juncaginaceae) – Morphological diversification is linked to habitat shifts rather than to genetic diversification". ScienceDirect. February 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Heywood, V.H. (1978). Flowering Plants of the World. New York: Mayflower Books. p. 82.