Small'S Bogbutton

Description

Lachnocaulon minus (Chapman) Small, Flora of the Southeastern United States. 235, 1328. 1903. Lachnocaulon michauxii Kunth var. minor Chapman, Fl. South. U.S. ed. 3, 531. 1897; L. eciliatum Small, Herbs, short-lived perennial, solitary or cespitose, forming low domes of rosettes, 6--15(--20) cm. Leaves linear-triangular, 2--4 cm, apex narrowly acute to subulate. Inflorescences: scape sheaths shorter than principal leaves; scapes filiform, 0.3--0.4 mm thick, 4--5-ribbed, pilose from base to apex, with ascending hairs; mature heads dull gray-brown, globose to short-cylindric, 3--4 mm wide; receptacle copiously hairy, partly obscuring flowers (old heads may lose some hairs); involucral bracts soon reflexed, pale to dark brown, mostly ovate or broadly oblong, 1 mm, apex broadly acute, distal margins pilose, hairs translucent, capitate, abaxial surface distally pilose, hairs translucent; receptacular bracts pale brown to chestnut brown, broadly spatulate or pandurate, concave, 1(--1.5) mm, apex rounded or obtuse, abaxial surface pilose toward apex, hairs translucent; Staminate flowers: sepals 3, chestnut brown, base greenish, spatulate, blade concave, 1--1.5 mm, apex rounded or obtuse, abaxial surface pilose toward apex, hairs translucent; androphore yellow-white, narrowly obconic, as long as sepals, glabrous, rarely with apex hairy, hairs club-shaped, short; anthers 3, appendages 3. Pistillate flowers: sepals 3, pale, spatulate, concave, 1--1.5 mm, apex obtuse or short-acuminate, abaxial surface apically with translucent hairs; gynoecium 3-carpellate; stylar column pale, apex 3-cleft, appendages 3. Seeds deep clear brown, ellipsoid, 0.5 mm, apex apiculate, body longitudinally low-ribbed, ribs pale, transverse striae fine.