Kopsiopsis
in H. G. A. Engler, Pflanzenr. 96[IV,261]: 304. 1930.
Herbs, perennial; achlorophyllous, holoparasitic, with a tuberlike underground vegetative structure attached to host root, surface divided into polygonal plates, roots absent. Stems erect, fleshy, glabrous. Leaves cauline, alternate; petiole absent; blade stiffly chartaceous, margins entire or slightly erose. Inflorescences terminal, compact or open racemes; bracts present. Pedicels present; bracteoles present, rarely absent. Flowers: perianth persistent; sepals (0 or)2–5, calyx bilaterally symmetric, cup-shaped, lobes attenuate, linear-subulate, or filiform; petals 5, corolla dark red, purple, or yellow, strongly bilabiate, funnelform, palatal folds absent, abaxial lobes 3, adaxial 2, adaxial lip ± galeate; stamens 4, didynamous, included, filaments with tuft of hair at base, villous or glabrous distally; staminode 0; ovary 1-locular, placentation parietal; stigma obscurely 2–4-lobed, crateriform. Capsules: dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds 100–500, light tan or brown, irregularly globular or ovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, prismatic, not or slightly flattened, wings absent.
Distribution
w North America, nw Mexico.
Discussion
Species 2 (2 in the flora).
Kopsiopsis was first recognized by Beck but was treated as part of Boschniakia by many subsequent authors. Zhang Zhi Y. (1987) and Yu W. B. (2013) presented further morphological evidence for separating the two genera. Kopsiopsis differs from Boschniakia in the following traits: inflorescences compact or open racemes versus dense spikes; pedicels present versus absent; bracteoles present (rarely absent) versus absent; corollas funnelform versus short-tubular, constricted above ovary versus corolla base inflated; leaves spatulate versus triangular or lanceolate; and, seeds 1.5–3 mm versus 0.5–0.7 mm. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the family (J. R. McNeal et al. 2013) supports Boschniakia as sister to a lineage that includes the genera Conopholis, Epifagus, and Kopsiopsis, and as-yet unpublished molecular data suggest that Kopsiopsis may be sister to the southern Mexican genus Eremitilla Yatskievych & J. L. Contreras (S. Mathews, pers. comm.).
Selected References
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Bracts spatulate or broadly oblanceolate, apices obtuse or truncate, rolled adaxially; stems stout, 10–30 mm diam.; anther bases mucronulate; corolla lobe margins glabrous, sometimes ciliate; inflorescences compact or open racemes; leaf blades lanceolate, ovate, or broadly triangular, apices obtuse, margins entire, sometimes ± erose; parasitic on Arbutus and Arctostaphylos. | Kopsiopsis strobilacea |
| 1 | Bracts narrowly spatulate or lanceolate, apices ± acute, rarely obtuse, slightly rolled adaxially; stems slender, 5–17 mm diam.; anther bases rounded; corolla lobe margins minutely ciliate; inflorescences compact racemes; leaf blades triangular-obovate or rhombic, apices obtuse or ± acute, margins finely erose; parasitic on Gaultheria shallon. | Kopsiopsis hookeri |