Herbs, perennial, 5–30 cm. Leaves linear-attenuate, (1–) 2–5 (–7) cm, apex subulate. Inflorescences: scape sheaths mostly longer than principal leaves, inflated; scapes filiform to linear, 0.5–1 mm wide, 4–7-ribbed; mature heads white or gray, hemispheric to nearly globose, 5–10 mm wide, soft, much flattened when pressed; receptacle pilose; involucral-bracts becoming reflexed, obscured by bracteoles and proximal flowers, straw-colored to gray, suborbiculate to broadly obovate, 1.5 mm, margins entire, apex rounded to apiculate, glabrous; inner bracts, receptacular bracteoles gray to dark gray, obovate to cuneate, 1.5 mm, apex obtuse to acute, blade densely ciliate, hairs white, club-shaped. Staminate flowers: sepals 2, proximally pale, distally dark gray, opaque, linear-spatulate, 1.5 mm, apex acute, distal adaxial surfaces, margins with white, club-shaped hairs; androphore club-shaped; petals 2, unequal, narrowly triangular, short, apically ciliate with white, club-shaped hairs; stamens 4; anthers black. Pistillate flowers: sepals 2, dark gray, narrowly oblong-obovate, curved, keeled, 1.5 mm, keels with white, club-shaped hairs; petals 2, yellow-white, linear to oblong or obovate, 1–1.5 mm, apex acute, blade ciliate with white, club-shaped hairs, adaxial surfaces pilose with mixture of translucent, tapering and white, club-shaped hairs; pistil 2-carpellate. Seeds brownish, ovoid or broadly ellipsoid, 0.6 mm, indistinctly alveolate, proximal ribs often with fine pale papillae.
Phenology: Flowering in spring.
Habitat: Sphagnous bogs and low pine savanna, seeps
Elevation: 0–150 m
Distribution
Ala., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., Tex.
Discussion
In habit Eriocaulon texense is much like a diminutive version of E. compressum, likewise preferring deep bogs and also just as variable in the color of its bracts, bracteoles, and perianth.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
"narrowing" is not a number."narrower" is not a number.