Triteleia lugens
Encyclopedia
Triteleia lugens, the Coast Range Triteleia, is a monocot
flowering plant
in the genus Triteleia. It is endemic to California
, where it is known from the Coast Ranges north and south of the San Francisco Bay Area
. Its habitat includes forests and chaparral
.
. It produces two to three basal leaves up to 40 centimeters long by one wide. The inflorescence
arises on a smooth, erect stem up to 40 centimeters tall. It is an umbel
-like cluster of many funnel-shaped flowers borne on short pedicels
.
The flower has six yellow tepal
s each under a centimeter long. Northern populations have paler yellow flowers, and plants in southern areas have deeper golden yellow flowers. The tepals have dark veins. There are six stamen
s with yellow or blue anthers.
Monocotyledon
Monocotyledons, also known as monocots, are one of two major groups of flowering plants that are traditionally recognized, the other being dicotyledons, or dicots. Monocot seedlings typically have one cotyledon , in contrast to the two cotyledons typical of dicots...
flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the genus Triteleia. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known from the Coast Ranges north and south of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. Its habitat includes forests and chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
.
Description
It is a perennial wildflower growing from a cormCorm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
. It produces two to three basal leaves up to 40 centimeters long by one wide. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
arises on a smooth, erect stem up to 40 centimeters tall. It is an umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
-like cluster of many funnel-shaped flowers borne on short pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
.
The flower has six yellow tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s each under a centimeter long. Northern populations have paler yellow flowers, and plants in southern areas have deeper golden yellow flowers. The tepals have dark veins. There are six stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s with yellow or blue anthers.