VIRGINIA BUNCHFLOWER
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| File Size: 328 KB |
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Melanthium virginicum L.
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| (Craig Freeman photo) |
| Perennial |
| Height: 2-8 feet |
| Family: Melanthiaceae - Bunchflower Family |
| Flowering Period: June, July |
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| Stems: | | Erect, simple, floccose. | | Leaves: | | Basal and cauline, alternate, simple, sessile; parallel-veined; blade linear, 12 to 32 inches long, .25 to 1.25 inch wide, floccose, base sheathing, apex attenuate, margins entire. | | Inflorescences: | | Terminal, paniculate, 50-300-flowered, 8 to 16 inches. | | Flowers: | | Bisexual or proximal sometimes unisexual and staminate; tepals 6, petal-like, cream-colored or greenish white, later turning green or light purple, ovate to oblong, .2 to .5 inch, spreading, base prominently clawed, base with 2 yellow or greenish yellow glands; stamens 6, filaments fused to base of tepals. | | Fruits: | | Capsules, elliptic-ovoid, .4 to .7 inch, splitting longitudinally; seeds yellow or tan, flat, .2 to .3 inch, broadly winged. | | Habitat: | | Mesic tallgrass prairies | | Distribution: | | East 1/6 of Kansas | | Origin: | | Native | | Comments: | | Plants from stout rhizomes. |
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| Virginia bunchflower leaves |  | | 360 KB | | Leavenworth County, Kansas |
| | Virginia bunchflower immature inflorescence |  | | 262 KB | | Leavenworth County, Kansas |
| | Virginia bunchflower floccose stem |  | | 155 KB | | Leavenworth County, Kansas |
| | Virginia bunchflower leaves |  | | 329 KB | | Leavenworth County, Kansas |
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