Maianthemum gigas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Maianthemum gigas | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Nolinoideae |
| Genus: | Maianthemum |
| Species: | M. gigas |
| Binomial name | |
| Maianthemum gigas (Woodson) LaFrankie | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Maianthemum gigas is a perennial flowering plant. It is found in Mexico and Central America,[1] growing in forest openings and along roadsides or sometimes as an epiphyte on trees.[2]
Leaves
It grows 0.8–2.5 m (3–8 ft) tall[2] off a base of forked rhizomes. Roots are scattered evenly along rhizome units. Stems are leaning or arching and leafy; usually with 10-16 leaves set 3–5.5 cm (1–2 in) apart.[2]
Leaves have a 4-5 mm long petiole. Leaf blades are egg-shaped to elliptical with pointed tips and rounded to tapered bases 14–30 cm (6–12 in) long by 5–9 cm (2–4 in) wide with undulating edges.[2] The leaf surface is hairless with prominent veins.
Flowering clusters
45 to 400 flowers are set on a pyramid-shaped, branched flowering stalk (panicle). The main axis of the panicle arches upward, is stiff, straight and usually 15-29 cm long.[2] It is hairless and often ribbed with light green or purple. About 25 to 30 spreading to ascending side branches are set at 2-15 mm intervals along the main axis of the panicle. The side branches are 6-15 cm long with 1 or 2 flowers at the base and others set at intervals of 1-4 mm, (up to 10 mm) along the branch.
Flowers and fruits
Flowers are set on stalks (pedicels) that are 2-5 mm long, deeply ribbed and hairless. The flowers in the common variety are made up of 3-5 mm long spreading tepals that are usually white, but sometimes have purple spots. There is a rare variety (var. crassipes) which has cup-shaped flowers and tepals that longer than the more common variety and that are yellow or yellow-white. Stamens are inserted at the base of the tepals. Fruits are rounded to weakly 3-lobed, 10-12 mm across, green mottled with red when immature, ripening to red. Flowering and fruiting occurs throughout the year
Varieties
Two varieties are recognized: Maianthemum gigas var. crassipes (Standl. & Steyerm.) LaFrankie and Maianthemum gigas (Woodson) LaFrankie var. gigas.[3] M. gigas var. crassipes is rare, has cup-shaped flowers and tepals that are yellow or yellow-white and 5-7 mm long by 3-3.5 mm wide. M. gigas var. gigas has flowers with white or white with lavender tepals that are spreading and 2.5-5 mm long by 1.5 - 2 mm wide.[2]