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Diphasiastrum digitatum

Southern running-pine

Diphasiastrum digitatum family

Lycopodiaceae

Diphasiastrum digitatum order

Lycopodiales

Diphasiastrum digitatum group

Lycophyte

Diphasiastrum digitatum habit

Evergreen terrestrial herb

Diphasiastrum digitatum belowground stem

Horizontal, subterranean to surficial

Diphasiastrum digitatum upright stem

Many-branching

Diphasiastrum digitatum lateral branches

Flattened and fan-like

Diphasiastrum digitatum leaves

Microphyllous, monomorphic, arranged in 4 ranks (1 dorsal, 2 lateral, 1 ventral)

Diphasiastrum digitatum leaf structure

Fused but with free tips

Diphasiastrum digitatum reproductive structure

Terminal, pedunculate cones with green peduncles and yellow strobili

Diphasiastrum digitatum strobilus

Cylindrical fertile cone bearing sporangia that contain spores

Diphasiastrum digitatum “Pteridophyte”

Non-monophyletic group

Diphasiastrum digitatum microphyll

Leaf with a single central vein; sessile; covers stems of lycophytes

Diphasiastrum digitatum microphyll origin

Different evolutionary origin from leaves of ferns and seed plants

Diphasiastrum digitatum lycophyte families

Lycopodiaceae, Selaginellaceae, Isoetaceae

Diphasiastrum digitatum genus common name

“Ground cedars

”
Diphasiastrum digitatum genus distribution

About 20 species; northern temperate and circumboreal

Diphasiastrum digitatum gametophyte

Subterranean haploid stage

Decodon verticillatus

“Swamp loosestrife

”
Decodon verticillatus family

Lythraceae

Decodon verticillatus order

Myrtales

Decodon verticillatus clade

Rosid

Decodon verticillatus habit

Emergent perennial herb

Decodon verticillatus stem

Arched-ascending with spongy, inflated, woody bases

Decodon verticillatus leaves

Opposite or whorled; simple; lanceolate; entire margin; short petiolate; estipulate

Decodon verticillatus inflorescence

Terminal and axillary cymes

Decodon verticillatus flower

Perfect (bisexual), actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)

Decodon verticillatus petals

Purple, wrinkly, 5-merous

Decodon verticillatus stamens

10, in two unequal series

Decodon verticillatus tristyly

Three different style lengths in population; stamens complementary in length

Decodon verticillatus pedicel

Longer than hypanthium

Decodon verticillatus calyx

Persistent

Decodon verticillatus ovary

Compound pistil with 1 ovary; 3–5 locules and carpels; superior

Decodon verticillatus fruit

Dehiscent capsule

Decodon verticillatus seeds

Spongy tissue in outer coat for water dispersal

Decodon verticillatus family note

Includes Punica (pomegranate)

Decodon verticillatus comparison

Differs from invasive Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife)

Decodon verticillatus “verticillate”

Having whorls

Sarracenia purpurea

“Purple pitcherplant

”
Sarracenia purpurea family

Sarraceniaceae

Sarracenia purpurea order

Ericales

Sarracenia purpurea clade

Asterid

Sarracenia purpurea habit

Perennial clump-forming wetland herb

Sarracenia purpurea leaves

Alternate and spiral; thick, stiff, modified into hollow cylindrical pitchers

Sarracenia purpurea pitcher details

With elongate keel and terminal abaxially attached short flap

Sarracenia purpurea pitcher interior

Retrorse hairs lining the inside

Sarracenia purpurea leaf variation

Varies among species of Sarracenia

Sarracenia purpurea inflorescence

Solitary

Sarracenia purpurea flower

On long stalks; actinomorphic; perfect; nodding when flowering, erect in fruit

Sarracenia purpurea floral parts

5 sepals; 5 petals; 70–80 stamens

Sarracenia purpurea style

Broadly expanded umbrella-like shield with stigmatic surfaces underneath ribs

Sarracenia purpurea pollination

Bee and wasp pollinated

Sarracenia purpurea ovary

5 carpels, connate (fused); superior

Sarracenia purpurea fruit

Loculicidal capsule

Sarracenia purpurea seed dispersal

By wind and water

Sarracenia purpurea distribution

Eastern U

S

and Canada; only pitcher plant native to New England

Sarracenia purpurea adaptation

Carnivory allows survival in low-nitrogen peat bogs

Sarracenia purpurea attraction

Insects attracted to color and odor

Sarracenia purpurea trapping mechanism

Pitchers trap insects; enzymes digest prey

Sarracenia purpurea microecosystem

Hosts bacteria, protozoa, and mosquito larvae (Wyeomyia smithii)

Sarracenia purpurea ethnobotany

Roots used as diuretic, anti-diabetic, and for childbirth-related symptoms

Sarracenia purpurea carnivory evolution

Carnivory evolved multiple times

Sarracenia purpurea related carnivorous families

Droseraceae and Nepenthaceae

Sarracenia purpurea related genera

Heliamphora (South America) and Darlingtonia (California and Oregon)

Kalmia angustifolia

“Sheep laurel

”
Kalmia angustifolia family

Ericaceae

Kalmia angustifolia order

Ericales

Kalmia angustifolia clade

Asterid

Kalmia angustifolia habit

Evergreen small shrub (<1 m)

Kalmia angustifolia belowground

Dense rhizome network

Kalmia angustifolia stem

Brown to gray; buds formed in spring persist through winter, bloom next spring

Kalmia angustifolia leaves

Opposite or whorled; leathery; glossy; narrow-ellipsoid; sessile or short-petiolate; entire

Kalmia angustifolia inflorescence

Lateral axillary clusters

Kalmia angustifolia flower

Pink, perfect, actinomorphic, 5 sepal lobes, petals bell-shaped with 5 lobes

Kalmia angustifolia stamens

10

Kalmia angustifolia ovary

1 superior ovary with 2–5 locules

Kalmia angustifolia fruit

Globose capsule

Kalmia angustifolia disturbance ecology

Colonizes cleared patches and inhibits black spruce regeneration

Kalmia angustifolia mechanism

Possibly allelopathic

Kalmia angustifolia genus name

Honors Peter Kalm, student of Linnaeus

Kalmia angustifolia epithet meaning

“Angustifolia” means narrow-leaved

Kalmia angustifolia toxicity

Foliage poisonous to livestock

Larix laricina

“Tamarack” or “eastern larch

”
Larix laricina family

Pinaceae

Larix laricina habit

Coniferous deciduous tree

Larix laricina stem

Bark platey; branches whorled

Larix laricina leaves

Needles clustered at tips of short shoots; linear and soft; about 3 cm long

Larix laricina ovulate cones

Ovoid, erect, and somewhat persistent

Larix laricina cone scales

8–20; ovate; thin and pliable but firm; entire margin; no umbo (no pointy tip)

Larix laricina timber value

Important timber species

Larix laricina ethnobotany (buds)

Dried buds used as fumigant for coughs

Larix laricina ethnobotany (bark)

Bark used for colds, coughs, and inflammation; bark tea for sore throat, laxative, diuretic

Larix laricina ethnobotany (poultice)

Applied to sores, swellings, and burns

Larix laricina ethnobotany (gum)

Used as antidiabetic

Larix laricina chemical research

Bark diterpenes studied for colon cancer treatment