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floerkea
Scientific Name: Floerkea
Family: Limnanthaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
False Mermaid-weed (Floerkea proserpinacoides)
Floerkea proserpinacoides, commonly known as False Mermaid-weed or False Mermaid, is a delicate annual herb found in North America. It is the sole species in the genus Floerkea.
Considerations for Pets
- This plant is an annual herb typically found in wet environments.
- The plant features slender, sometimes branched stems.
- The leaves are pinnately divided, creating small segments.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Floerkea proserpinacoides Willd.
- Family: Limnanthaceae (Meadowfoam Family)
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Taxonomic Rank: Species
- Synonym: Floerkea occidentalis Rydb.
The genus name, Floerkea, honors Gustav Heinrich Florke, a German botanist.
Distribution and Habitat
- Floerkea proserpinacoides has a disjunct distribution in North America, occurring in both the eastern and western parts of the United States, separated by the Great Plains.
- In the eastern part of North America, it is found from West Virginia and North Carolina.
- It thrives in marshes, streams, and other wet habitats.
Morphological Characteristics
- It is an annual plant, typically growing up to 1 foot in height.
- The stems are slender, glabrous (smooth), and can be either sprawling or erect.
- The alternate leaves are up to 3 inches long and pinnately divided into 3 to 5 linear leaflets.
- The flowers are single and stalked, growing in the leaf axils.
- The flowers have 3 large triangular sepals and 3 tiny white petals, with 1 to 3 large seeds. The petals are about one-half the length of the sepals.
Ecological Role
- Floerkea proserpinacoides is a spring ephemeral, meaning it completes its life cycle quickly in the spring.
- Seed production is affected by the spatial density of the plants.
- Seeds are dormant at maturity, typically in mid to late May.
Quirky Facts
- Floerkea proserpinacoides is the only member of the Limnanthaceae family found in eastern North America.
Further Information
- Discover Life offers information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Floerkea proserpinacoides.
- Specimen records are available, including information on specimens with sequences and barcodes.
- The Illinois State Museum Herbarium holds specimens of the genus Floerkea.