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FAMILY TO LEARN
161. Iridaceae
Diagnostic family characters
Leaves:. Simple, entire, alternate and basal, parallel-veined, usually narrow. The leaves are generally two-ranked and equitant.
Flowers: Actinomorphic or zygomorphic, perfect, epigynous, usually large and showy.
Inflorescence: Determinate, terminal, cymose, sometimes appearing racemose or paniculate, sometimes a solitary flower.
Fruits: 3-valved loculicidal capsule with numerous seeds.
Habit: Perennial herbs with rhizomes, bulbs, or corms.This perennial herb is common in swamps and low ground throughout eastern and central North America. Superficially, the leaves of #161 can look like those of cattail - Typha. Cattail leaves, though, are curved at the base to wrap around a central axis. Also, they are spongy and lack the central thickening of #161. They can also resemble the leaves of Acorus (Acoraceae: sweet flag), though the latter is strongly scented.
The floral structure of the genus of #161 is unique in our flora. The perianth is modified into an outer, spreading whorl of tepals called falls and an inner whorl of erect tepals that are called standards. Curving over the top of each fall is a petaloid style. Sandwiched between the style and the fall is a stamen.Be sure to look at the genera for comparison. This is the family of Gladiolus, Crocus, Tigridia, and other ornamentals.
Key out species 161: Iris versicolor 'Northern blue flag'
The species is difficult to distinguish from the closely related southern blue flag. Both are found in the state, both are common in swamps and low ground throughout eastern and central North America.
** Be able to identify the genus based on the seed pods (capsules) alone.Key out species 162: Sisyrinchium campestre 'Prairie blue-eyed grass.'
The name for the Iris family comes from the Greek word for "rainbow." The generic name was first coined by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus and was later applied to this genus. It is a small perennial that blooms in the late spring and early summer.FAMILY TO LEARN
163. Orchidaceae, the Orchid family
*** Do not collect or pick any species from this family ***
Diagnostic family characters
Leaves: Simple, entire, alternate, parallel-veined, sessile but sometimes tapering to a petiole-like base. Straplike as in the Liliaceae, hairy in some species.
Flowers: Strikingly zygomorphic, perfect, epigynous, ranging from small and inconspicuous to large and showy. The flowers have a prominent lower petal, the labellum. This is actually the upper petal morphologically, but the flower is resupinate. The orchid family has many species that fool incautious bees into attempting to copulate with the flowers. In the process of this fruitless (from the bee's perspective) encounter, pollination is effected. Orchid flowers are generally devoid of nectar.
Fruits: A capsule dehiscing by 3 or 6 median slits. Seeds are tiny, almost dustlike, and multitudinous.
Habit: Perennial herbs with mycorrhizal roots.Key out species 163: Cypripedium parviflorum 'Yellow lady's-slipper'
(Synonym = C. calceolus)
ADDITIONAL ORCHID GENERA AND SPECIES TO LEARN
164. Goodyera pubescens (Orchidaceae) 'Rattlesnake plantain'
The specific epithet pubescens is in reference to the downy inflorescence. Unfortunately, this is not diagnostic as almost all Goodyera have downy inflorescences. The 4 to 8 oblong-elliptical leaves, which form a basal rosette, somewhat resemble plantain (Plantago) leaves--hence the common name. This plant is typically found in dry upland oak or pine woods. It has been frequently observed growing out of clumps of moss. It is perhaps the most common native orchid in southern WI.
165. Calopogon (Orchidaceae) 'Grass pink'
The only species in this genus that you are likely to find in WI is Calopogon tuberosus. It has a single, basal, grass-like leaf and a terminal raceme inflorescence of 4-12 bright magenta to pink flowers, the only Wisconsin orchid with labellum on top! It is difficult to identify if it is not blooming. In WI it is found in either acidic boggy areas, typically accompanied by Sphagnum, or less commonly in moist prairies.
166. Epipactis (Orchidaceae) 'Helleborine,' 'Helleborine orchid'
Epipactis is reputed to grow in almost any habitat. In WI it is considered an introduced, ecologically invasive forb--which is quite unusual for an orchid. It is native to Europe and was first reported in the U.S. in 1879. Since 1930 it has been rapidly spreading in WI, apparently radiating from Milwaukee where it was most likely cultivated by an unsuspecting gardener. The green flowers are wasp-pollinated. This speceis is alright to collect, and in fact we could use it in the student herbarium.
SPECIES TO LEARN:
167. Dioscorea villosa (Dioscoreaceae) 'Wild yam,' 'Colic-root'
In our flora, this species bears similarity to the genus Smilax. Wild-yam, however, has cordate leaf bases. The species is found growing in wet woods, swamps, and thickets from New England all the way to Texas. The root, harvested in September, was traditionally used to make a homeopathic remedy for infant colic. Today, it is widely used in modern medicine in the manufacture of progesterone and other steroid drugs. The roots contain a precursor of progesterone, making it a popular choice for treating PMS. Keep in mind that eating the fresh plant can cause vomiting and other side effects.
168. Tradescantia ohiensis (Commelinaceae) 'Common spiderwort'
This perennial native of eastern North American prairies and open oak woodlands bears blue, purple, pink, or white flowers from May to July and can reach a height of up to 24 inches in the wild and twice that much in your garden with fertilizer. The flowers play "peek-a-boo;" they open up first thing in the morning and then close again by early afternoon. Stems and leaves are glaucous silver, grey or bluish, and the plant is topped with "spidery" clusters of bright colors.
169. Pontederia cordata (Ponteridaceae) 'Pickeral-weed'
This strikingly showy species with blue flowers is found as an aquatic emergent in shallow, usually still, water. Leaves are suggestive of Sagittaria (arrowhead), but are cordate. Its flowers are lilioid with six showy tepals and obvious nectaries. Like many members of the family, the flowers exhibit heterostyly. Its cousin is Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) – the now worldwide aggressive floating aquatic weed from South America.
GENUS TO KEY:
170. Smilax (Smilaceae) 'Carrion flower,' 'Greenbriar'
All but one of our species of this genus have tendrils. Be able to tell this genus from Dioscorea. Smilax is a perennial species that thrives in wooded or thickened areas. It is characterized by thick, tough stems and waxy, heart or arrow shaped leaves. However, the most noticeable feature are the numerous thorns that are found along the stems and leaves (in certain species) of Smilax. It produces small, inconspicuous flowers and berry-like fruit. These fruits are readily eaten by birds, which are the primary means of dispersal.