Stenanthium diffusum
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| Stenanthium diffusum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stenanthium diffusum isotype collection | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Liliales |
| Family: | Melanthiaceae |
| Genus: | Stenanthium |
| Species: | S. diffusum |
| Binomial name | |
| Stenanthium diffusum Wofford | |
Stenanthium diffusum, commonly known as the rockhouse featherbells, is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae. It is endemic to the Cumberland Plateau of northeastern Tennessee in the southeastern United States.[2]
Stenanthium diffusum is a perennial herb arising from an underground bulb. Like other members of the genus, it has narrow, grass-like leaves and produces small, star-shaped flowers arranged along an elongated inflorescence.
It is distinguished by its diffuse, widely spreading panicle, which can reach up to 3 dm in width.[2] The flowers are borne on relatively long pedicels (1.6–4 mm) and are spaced widely apart along the branches. The uppermost non-bracteal stem leaf occurs relatively low on the stem, typically 4–14 cm above ground level.[2]
Flowering occurs from mid-September to mid-October.[2]
Taxonomy
The species was formally described by botanist B. E. Wofford in 2006.[3]
It is a member of the genus Stenanthium, a group of North American monocots characterized by racemose or paniculate inflorescences and small tepaled flowers.
Distribution and habitat
Stenanthium diffusum is endemic to the Cumberland Plateau of northeastern Tennessee, where it is known from a small number of counties including Morgan, Fentress, Pickett, and Scott.[2][1]
It is highly specialized to sandstone rockhouse habitats, where it grows on ledges or at the base of overhangs in moist, sandy soils.[1] These environments are characterized by high humidity, low evaporation rates, and buffered temperature extremes compared to surrounding uplands.[1]