Claytonia virginica

Illustrator: Barbara Alongi

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Plants perennial, with globose tubers 10–200 mm diam.; periderm 0–0.5 mm. Stems 5–40 cm. Leaves: basal leaves petiolate 6–20 cm, blade linear, 3–14 × 0.5–1.3 cm; cauline leaves sessile, blade linear, 1–10 cm, tapered to slender base. Inflorescences 1-bracteate, rarely with 2 or more bracts; bracts reduced apically, scalelike. Flowers 5–12 mm diam.; sepals 5–7 mm; petals white to pinkish or rose (rarely yellow or orange) or white with pink-lavender candy-stripes, 7–14 mm; ovules 6. Seeds 2–3 mm diam., shiny and smooth; elaisome 1–2 mm. 2n = 12–190.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat: Wetlands, seeps, moist woods, riparian hardwood forests, copses, bluffs, ravines, prairies
Elevation: 0-1000 m

Distribution

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Ont., Que., Ala., Ark., Conn., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Selected References

Lewis, W. H. and J. C. Semple. 1977. Geography of Claytonia virginica cytotypes. Amer. J. Bot. 64: 1078–1082.

Rothwell, N. V. 1959. Aneuploidy in Claytonia virginica. Amer. J. Bot. 46: 353–360.

Lower Taxa

None.