Comandra

Nuttall

Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 157. 1818.

Common names: Bastard toadflax
Etymology: Greek kome, hair, and andros, male, alluding to petal hairs that attach to anthers
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 12. Treatment on page 409. Mentioned on page 408, 411.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA12 P51 Comandra umbellata.jpegBuckleya distichophylla
Geocaulon lividum
Comandra umbellata subsp. umbellata
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Herbs or subshrubs, perennial, synoecious. Rhizomes somewhat woody, white to beige or blue (then drying blackish), cortex corky or papery, loose exfoliating. Leaves: petiole short or absent. Inflorescences terminal, paniclelike or corymblike thyrses; cymules 3–5-flowered; prophyllar bracteole subtending each flower persistent. Pedicels present. Flowers bisexual, campanulate; hypanthium adnate to ovary proximally, free distally, funnel-shaped; petals (4–) 5 (–7), white, yellowing with age, ovate or oblong to lanceolate, reflexed upon maturation; nectary lining hypanthium, lobes small, alternating with filaments; styles filiform; stigmas capitate. Pseudodrupes usually multiple, petals persistent, forming neck at apex; exocarp leathery.

Distribution

North America, n Mexico, s Europe (Balkan peninsula), temperate regions

Discussion

Species 1.

Circumscription of species within Comandra has varied, as have opinions about whether Geocaulon is distinct. C. L. Hitchcock and A. Cronquist (1973) considered Geocaulon as a species of Comandra, whereas M. L. Fernald (1950) recognized separate genera. The treatment here follows the most comprehensive study of Comandra to date (M. A. Piehl 1965), which recognized a single variable species with four subspecies.

Lower Taxa

... more about "Comandra"
Daniel L. Nickrent +
Nuttall +
Bastard toadflax +
exfoliating +
papery +  and corky +
North America +, n Mexico +, s Europe (Balkan peninsula) +  and temperate regions +
Greek kome, hair, and andros, male, alluding to petal hairs that attach to anthers +
persistent +
campanulate +
free +  and adnate +
funnel--shaped +
corymblike +  and paniclelike +
alternating +
persistent +
free +, distinct +  and connate +
oblong +  and lanceolate +
Gen. N. Amer. Pl. +
piehl1965a +
white;beige or blue +
deciduous +
andromonoecious +  and synoecious +
filiform +
Comandra +
Comandraceae +
subshrub +  and herb +