Heteranthera multiflora

(Grisebach) C. N. Horn

Phytologia 59: 290. 1986.

Basionym: Heteranthera reniformis var. multiflora Grisebach Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen 24: 323. 1879
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Mentioned on page 43.

Plants annual. Vegetative stems submersed with elongate internodes, or emersed and procumbent. Flowering-stems 1–4 cm, distal internode less than 1 cm. Sessile leaves alternate; blade linear to oblanceolate, thin, 37–70 × 4–6 mm, margins entire. Petiolate leaves floating or emersed; stipule 3–5 cm; petiole 5–15 cm; blade cordate, 2–5 × 2–5 cm, length usually greater than width, apex obtuse. Inflorescences spicate, 3–16-flowered, elongating in 1–2 days, longer than spathes (except on cleistogamous inflorescences); spathes 2–7 cm, glabrous; peduncle 4–11 cm, glabrous when emersed. Flowers opening ca. 2 hours after dawn, wilting early afternoon; perianth mauve or white, salverform, tube 3–12 mm, limbs zygomorphic, lobes narrowly elliptic, 3.3–5.9 mm, distal central lobe dark purple in basal 1/3, 2 yellow spots within dark area; stamens unequal, lateral stamens 1.3–2.4 mm, filaments linear, densely pubescent with purple multicellular hairs toward apex; central stamen 2.6–4 mm, filament sparsely pubescent with multicellular hairs; style pubescent with multicellular hairs. Seeds 9–12-winged, 0.6–0.9 × 0.4–0.5 mm. 2n = 32.


Phenology: Flowering Jul–Nov.
Habitat: Roadside ditches, pond edges
Elevation: 0–1800 m

Distribution

V26 10-distribution-map.jpg

Ark., Del., Ill., Iowa, Kans., La., Md., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.C., Okla., Pa., Tenn., Tex., Va., South America (Argentina), South America (Brazil), South America (Paraguay), South America (Venezuela)

Discussion

This species has in the past been incorrectly identified as either Heteranthera reniformis (J. A. Steyermark 1963) or H. peduncularis (R. B. Kaul and C. N. Horn 1986). However, detailed study of development, floral morphology, and chromosome number revealed distinct differences (C. N. Horn 1985, 1988).

Three distinct genetic forms of this species exist, two in the flora range. Populations along the Atlantic coast have white flowers and inflorescences with most of the flowers within the spathe. Populations in the Great Plains have blue flowers and inflorescences with most flowers typically beyond the spathe. These populations have not been, nor should they be, recognized at any taxonomic level.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"elongating" is not a number."/2" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Heteranthera multiflora"
purple +  and yellow +
sagittate;oblong;sagittate;oblong;rounded +
Charles N. Horn +
(Grisebach) C. N. Horn +
Heteranthera reniformis var. multiflora +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
cordate;linear;oblanceolate +
usually greater than width +
membranous +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +
0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
yellow spots +  and dark purple +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Ark. +, Del. +, Ill. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, La. +, Md. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, Nebr. +, N.J. +, N.C. +, Okla. +, Pa. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +, South America (Argentina) +, South America (Brazil) +, South America (Paraguay) +  and South America (Venezuela) +
0–1800 m +
acute;caudate +
purple +  and yellow +
3-merous +  and sessile +
emersed +  and submersed +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
elongate +
Roadside ditches, pond edges +
multicellular +
3-16-flowered +  and spicate +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.24 cm2.4 mm <br />0.0024 m <br />) +
petiolate +  and sessile +
emersed +  and floating +
Single (?) +  and Many (?) +
zygomorphic +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +
6-lobed +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br />) +
white +  and mauve +
salverform +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
Flowering Jul–Nov. +
3 +  and 1 +
9-12-winged +
with longitudinal wings +  and smooth +
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br />) +
10 +  and 200 +
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
clasping +  and folded +
bractlike +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
2 +  and 3 +
unequal +
indeterminate +
emersed +  and submersed +
elongate +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
3-lobed +
Eurystemon +, Heterandra +, Schollera +  and Zosterella +
Heteranthera multiflora +
Heteranthera +
species +
funnel +  and tubular +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +