Limnanthes macounii

Trelease

Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 4: 85. 1888.

Common names: Macoun’s meadowfoam
EndemicConservation concern
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 7. Treatment on page 176. Mentioned on page 172, 174, 175.

Plants 2–7 (–15) cm. Stems decumbent (sometimes upcurved apically). Leaves 1–7 cm; leaflets 3–15, blade ovate, margins irregularly toothed to 5-lobed. Flowers bowl to bell-shaped; sepals (4) ovate, 3–4 mm; petals (4) white, cuneate to obovate, 4–5 mm, apex emarginate (reflexed in fruit); filaments 2–2.5 mm; anthers cream, 0.3 mm; style 3 mm. Nutlets light-brown, 3 mm, tuberculate, tubercles light-brown, broadly conical. 2n = 10.


Phenology: Flowering Mar-early May.
Habitat: Depressions in shallow soil on rocks, seepage areas, rocky coastal areas, open forests
Elevation: 0-200 m

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Limnanthes macounii is native on Vancouver Island and adjacent islands in British Columbia from East Sooke Park to Victoria, Inskip, Chatham, and Trial islands, to Yellow Point, Saltspring, Gabriola, and Hornby islands. It grows in seasonally moist depressions (including edges of vernal pools) in acidic soils that often have a high nutrient content. The population in California is in an agricultural field in San Mateo County; first discovered there in 1998 (E. G. Buxton 1998), it appears to be persisting. Phylogenetic analyses suggest this may be an aberrant population of L. douglasii (S. Meyers, pers. comm.)

The angular and comparatively massive tubercles of the nutlets of Limnanthes macounii, with the base equaling 1/4–1/3 the width of the nutlet, are unique in the genus (H. H. Hauptli et al. 1978). Allozyme studies by R. V. Kesseli and S. K. Jain (1984b) showed that L. macounii had alleles found in no other taxa at three loci. M. S. Plotkin (1998) concluded that L. macounii should be included in L. douglasii based on ITS analysis. Because of its unique characteristics and highly disjunct distribution, L. macounii is maintained as a species here pending further study.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Limnanthes macounii"
tetrasporangiate +
extrorse +, introrse +  and dehiscing +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
Nancy R. Morin +
Trelease +
ternate +  and bipinnate +
lobed +  and entire +
Macoun’s meadowfoam +
B.C. +  and Calif. +
0-200 m +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
bowl +  and bell-shaped +
ridged +, subglobose +  and obovoid +
rugulose +, smooth +  and tuberculate +
Depressions in shallow soil on rocks, seepage areas, rocky coastal areas, open forests +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
irregularly toothed +  and 5-lobed +
light-brown +
tuberculate +
syncarpous +  and 2-5-carpellate +
5-lobed +
distinct +
usually longer +
cuneate;obovate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Flowering Mar-early May. +
colporate +, colpate +  and binucleate +
2-4-aperturate +
Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. +
unknown-b +
not arillate +
persistent +
list +  and count +
not accrescent +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Endemic +  and Conservation concern +
10 +  and 8 +
ascending +, erect +  and decumbent +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (?) +
Limnanthes sect. Reflexae +
Limnanthes macounii +
Limnanthes sect. Limnanthes +
species +
pale-yellow +, chartreuse +, pink +, lilac +, drying +, cream +, white +, rose +, purplish +  and translucent +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
pubescent +  and glabrous +