Contains 9 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
LECHEA Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 90. 1753.
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TYPE: Lechea minor Linnaeus 1753. Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 2: 542. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lechea cernua | NODDING PINWEED; SCRUB PINWEED | Native Threatened-State | ||
| Lechea deckertii | DECKERT'S PINWEED | Native | ||
| Lechea divaricata | DRYSAND PINWEED; SPREADING PINWEED | Native Rare-State | ||
| Lechea lakelae | LAKELA'S PINWEED | Native Rare-State | ||
| Lechea minor | THYMELEAF PINWEED | Native | ||
| Lechea mucronata | HAIRY PINWEED | Native | ||
| Lechea pulchella var. ramosissima | LEGGETT'S PINWEED | Native | ||
| Lechea sessiliflora | PINELAND PINWEED | Native | ||
| Lechea torreyi | PIEDMONT PINWEED | Native FACU (NWPL) |
Identification Key
1. Mature stems villous with spreading hairs
2
1. Mature stems glabrous to strigose or sericeous, the hairs mostly appressed (young stems sometimes villous in L. cernua)
3
2. Leaves <1 cm long; sepals uniformly pubescent, the inner broad sepals not bowed or only slightly so; fruit ellipsoid, indehiscent, distinctly exserted from calyx (longer than sepals), usually 1-seeded
2. Leaves often >1.5 cm long; sepals sparsely pubescent along midvein to glabrous, the inner broad sepals distinctly U- or V-shaped in cross-section; fruit subglobose, splitting into 3 valves, subequal to calyx, usually with 2-4 seeds
3. Outer slender sepals subequal to longer than the broad inner sepals; calyx glabrous to strigose, the surface visible
4
3. Outer slender sepals shorter than the broad inner sepals; calyx glabrous to strigose, the surface visible, or densely cinereous and the surface occluded (L. torreyi)
5
4. Leaves usually >1.5 mm wide; outer slender sepals distinctly longer than the inner broad sepals and often subequal to mature capsule; mature capsule brownish (stigma remnants obscure)
4. Leaves usually <1.5 mm wide; outer slender sepals subequal to the inner broad sepals and shorter than mature capsule; mature capsule usually straw-colored (stigma remnants conspicuous)
5. Leaves sparsely to densely sericeous or strigose on both surfaces; flowers in fascicles of 2-3, or some solitary
5. Leaves glabrous on the upper surface, variously pubescent to glabrous on the lower surface; flowers solitary
6
6. Leaves (10)15-30 m long, with an indurate, callous tip (ca. 0.25 mm long)
6. Leaves to 10 mm long (rarely to 20 mm long), lacking an indurate, callous tip
7
7. Stems woody at base; sepals spreading in fruit; fruit subglobose and strongly exserted (1/3–1/2 of length)
7. Stems mostly herbaceous to slightly woody; sepals not spreading in fruit or only slightly so; fruit cylindric to ovoid and included to slightly exserted
8
8. Stems, leaves, and calyx glabrous; mature fruit slightly exceeding inner sepals
8. Stems and leaves at least partly sericeous, strigose, or pilose, the calyx usually densely cinereous, the surface occluded; mature fruit subequal to shorter than the inner sepals
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lechidium | Lechidium Spach, in Hooker, Companion Bot. Mag. 2: 286. 1837. | TYPE: Lechidium drummondii Spach 1837. |