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Compilation
Melanthium virginicum

14 Images see all

Filed as Melanthium virginicum L. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Original material of Melanthium virginicum L. [family LILIACEAE/MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Melanthium virginicum L. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Melanthium virginicum [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Melanthium virginicum L. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Melanthium virginicum L. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Melanthium monoicum Walter [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Type? of Melanthium elatum [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Veratrum indet. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Lectotype of Melanthium virginicum L. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Zigadenus glaberrimus Michx. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Filed as Melanthium phalangioides Desr. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Melanthium virginicum [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Melanthium virginicum L. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
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Name

Identification
Melanthium virginicum L. [family LILIACEAE/MELANTHIACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by James L. Reveal, Melanthium virginicum L. [family LILIACEAE/MELANTHIACEAE ] Verified by Bodkin,
Related name
  • Melanthium hybridum
  • Melanthium sp.
  • Melanthium phalangioides
  • Helonias virginica
  • Melanthium elatum
  • Melanthium virginicum
  • Veratrum indet.
Common name
  • Virginia bunch-flower, Flora of North America Vol. 26

Flora

Entry for Melanthium virginicum Linnaeus [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Herbarium
Flora of North America (FNA)
Collection
Flora of North America
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of North America, Vol 26,
Names
Melanthium virginicum Linnaeus [family MELANTHIACEAE], Sp. Pl., 1: 339. 1753
Melanthium dispersum  Small [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Veratrum virginicum (Linnaeus) Aiton f. [family MELANTHIACEAE]
Treatment Author(s)
Norlyn L. Bodkin
Frederick H. Utech
Information
Rhizomes 0.5–2 × 0.5–1.8 cm; bulbs 0.6–2.5 cm. Stems 1/4–1/3 floriferous, 0.6–2 m. Leaf blades linear, long-attenuate, 30–80 × 0.6–3.2 cm, apex acute. Inflorescences 1.3–8 dm; terminal raceme 1–2.6 dm; secondary racemes spreading to ascending, 0.2–1.1(–2.2) dm; tertiary racemes infrequent; bracts obovate to subulate, green to brown, 2–4(–6) mm, densely floccose abaxially and marginally. Tepals greenish yellow, aging dark reddish purple, ovate to obovate-oblong, 5.5–13 × 2.2–6 mm, base abruptly auriculate to hastate, clawed, margins entire, apex acute, claws 0.5–1.2(–2.5) mm; glands yellowish green, oblong to oblong-ovate, nectariferous; stamens 6.5–8.5 mm; filaments inserted at or above middle of claw, 0.7–2.5 mm from ovary base, not basally dilated, equaling tepal width at insertion point; anthers 0.9 mm; ovary ovoid, glabrous or pubescent; styles 1.5–3.5 mm; pedicel spreading to ascending, 5–20 mm. Capsules elliptic-ovoid, 10–18 × 6–10 mm, glabrous or glabrate. Seeds 5–8 × 2.5–4 mm (including wings). 2n = 16.
Phenology
mar-may (spring), jun-aug (summer)
Altitude range
10–800 m;
Distribution
USA Ala.USA Ark.USA Del.USA D.C.USA Fla.USA Ga.USA Ill.USA Ind.USA IowaUSA Kans.USA Ky.USA La.USA Md.USA Miss.USA Mo.USA N.J.USA N.Y.USA N.C.USA OhioUSA Okla.USA Pa.USA S.C.USA Tenn.USA Tex.USA Va.USA W.Va.
Discussion
The clawed tepals of Melanthium virginicum distinguish it from M. parviflorum and M. woodii, which have tepals with gradually attenuate bases.

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