Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy, J. Bot. 70: 329. 1932.

Pellegrini, Marco O. O., Hickman, Ellen J., Guttierrez, Jorge E., Smith, Rhian J. & Hopper, Stephen D., 2020, Revisiting the taxonomy of the Neotropical Haemodoraceae (Commelinales), PhytoKeys 169, pp. 1-59 : 1

2.1. Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy, J. Bot. 70: 329. 1932. Figs 6 , 7 , 8

Dilatris caroliniana Lam., Tabl. encycl. 1: 127. 1791, as " Caroliana ". Holotype. United States. North Carolina: s.loc., fl., fr., s.dat., Fraser s.n. (P-LA barcode P00382893!).

Heritiera tinctorium Walter ex J.F.Gmel., Syst. Nat. 2: 113. 1791, nom. superfl.

Heritiera gmelinii Michx., Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 21, pl. 4. 1803, as " Gmelini ", nom. superfl.

Dilatris heritiera Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 54. 1805, nom. superfl.

Gyrotheca tinctoria Salisb., Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1: 327. 1812; Gyrotheca tinctoria W.Stone, Pl. S. New Jersey 1: 354. 1911[1912], isonym.

Dilatris tinctoria Pursh, Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 30-31. 1813[1814].

Lachnanthes tinctoria Elliott, Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1(1): 47. 1816.

Lachnanthes tinctoria var. major C.Wright ex Griseb., Cat. Pl. Cub.: 252. 1866. Lectotype (designated by Maas and Maas-van de Kamer 1993). CUBA. s.loc., fl., fr., 1860-1864, C. Wright 3270 (GOET barcode GOET004073!; isolectotypes: BM barcode BM000923988!; G barcode G00098220!, K barcode K000574289!, MO accession no. MO-202080!, NY barcodes 00073226!, 00073227!, P barcodes P00753470!, P00753471!, S accession no. S-R-3123!).

Anonymos tinctoria Walter, Fl. Carol.: 68. 1788, nom. rej.

Distribution and habitat.

Lachnanthes caroliniana is known to occur from Nova Scotia (Canada) to Florida (USA), reaching Cuba (Fig. 9 ). It grows in marshy and acidic environments, swampy grasslands, and moist pine forests throughout its range, generally producing extensive clonal populations.

Phenology.

Flowers and fruits from April to November.

Conservation status.

Lachnanthes caroliniana possesses a wide EOO (1,886,962 km2) but a narrow AOO (ca. 616 km2). Nonetheless, although generally abundant within its native range, L. caroliniana is listed as Endangered in four USA States (i.e., Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Tennessee), as Threatened in Rhode Island and of Special Concern in Massachusetts (USDA-NRCS 2013) and as Threatened in Canada ( COSEWIC 2009). Thus, following IUCN’s (2001) recommendations, L. caroliniana should be considered as Vulnerable (VU).

Comments.

Lachnanthes caroliniana is morphologically variable regarding stature and colouration, with much of this variation being related to environmental conditions. The roots and underground organs can range from yellowish-orange to dark red, the leaves, peduncles, bracts, and the outside of the tepals can range from light to dark green to bluish-green, and the tepals can be internal surface light green to yellowish-green to bright yellow. Aside from that, plants can range from 10 cm to over 100 cm tall.

Lachnanthes caroliniana is commonly considered a widespread weed in blueberry and cranberry crops ( Meggitt and Aldrich 1959; Robertson 1976; Meyers et al. 2013), pastures ( Ferrell et al. 2009) and to form extensive clonal populations followed by feral swine rooting disturbance ( Boughton et al. 2016). Nonetheless, L. caroliniana is an important nectar source for many insects (Hopper, pers. observ.) and a pollen source for bees and certain flies. It is viewed as an important "bridge species" supporting flower visitors in summer until fall (autumn) daisies begin to bloom ( Boughton et al. 2016). Its seeds also constitute an important food source for sandhill cranes ( Valentine and Noble 1970).

Figures

Figure 6. Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy A swampy environment B detail of the red roots C habit of an adult flowering specimen D inflorescence showing external surface lanate and internal surface glabrous and yellow perianth E detail of a flower being visited by a bee F fruiting inflorescence, with the detail of a fruit in longitudinal section. A by U. Lorimer, B by J. Fowler, C, F by S. Zona and D, E by B. Peterson, fruit detail by J. Bradford.

Figure 7. Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy. Full colour whole plant illustration. Illustration by E. J. Hickman. Scale bar: 1 cm.

Figure 8. Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy A, B root: A portion of the root B cross-section C rhizome in longitudinal section D cincinnus E flower F hair G-I perianth: G outer tepal (frontal and dorsal view) H dorsal view of a inner tepal I side view of the inner tepal with epipetalous stamen J anther (frontal and dorsal view) K-M gynoecium: K cross-section L longitudinal section M stigma N-S fruit: N immature capsule O cross-section P longitudinal section Q placenta with ovules in side view R placenta with ovules in dorsal view S dehisced capsule T-V seed: T dorsal view U ventral view V longitudinal section. Illustration by E. J. Hickman. Scale bars: 0.8 mm (A, B); 1 cm (C, D, T-V); 2 mm (E, G-J, N-S); 0.4 mm (F); 1.25 mm (K, L); 0.62 mm (M).

Figure 9. Distribution of Lachnanthes caroliniana (Lam.) Dandy. Beige - Temperate Coniferous Forests and Boreal Forests; Yellow - Temperate Grasslands, Savannahs and Shrublands; Pink - Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Light Green - Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Red - Deserts, Xeric Shrublands and Tropical Coniferous Forests; Orange - Tropical / Subtropical Grasslands, Savannahs and Shrublands; Maroon - Dry Broadleaf Forests; Green - Moist Broadleaf Forests; Lilac - Montane Grasslands and Shrublands.