Eriocaulaceae

Taxonomy

Family name: Eriocaulaceae Martinov

Synonym(s): [none]

Common name(s): pipewort family

*Number of genera/species: 7/1,207

List of genera records in GRIN-Global

Disseminule

fruit dehisced (usually with attached perianthperianth:
collective term for calyx and corolla of a flower
) or seed

Description

Fruit a loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary
, less than 3 mm long, ellipsoidellipsoid:
3D shape—elliptic
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transection, stylar remnantsstyle base:
remnant of a style
persistent, thickened perianthperianth:
collective term for calyx and corolla of a flower
(usually corollacorolla:
the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
) persistent, 2–3 seeded. Each loculelocule:
structurally distinct compartment with the fruit
is filledfilled:
(of embryo) embryo fills the seed interior with the food reserves stored in the cotyledons; small amounts of endosperm may remain around the embryo
with one pendulous seed. Pericarppericarp:
fruit wall or fruit coat
usually chartaceouschartaceous:
papery, papyraceous
, sometimes leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
.

Seeds oblongoblong:
2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded
to fusiformfusiform:
spindle-shaped; broadest at the middle and tapering at both ends
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transection, each with micropylarmicropyle:
an opening in the integuments of an ovule usually acting as a passage for the pollen tube
operculum, 0.2–1.5 mm long. Outer layer of seed coat is thin, and if it persists appears as covered in T-shaped hookswith hooks:
bristles or spines with curved or backwards pointing tips, or with secondary bristles along their length
or short “hairs”. Inner layer of seed coat is shinyshiny:
uniformly reflecting a high proportion of incident light at all angles
, reddish brown to yellow, smooth or strongly sculptured. Note, seed coat surface patterns, under SEM, may help determine unknown seed to genus.

Embryo rudimentaryrudimentary:
(of embryo) embryo is small and fills less than a quarter of the seed and can be variable in shapes, such as linear, spatulate, or oval
, lenticularlenticular:
3D shape—lens-shaped; biconvex
or capitatecapitate:
head-shaped; abruptly enlarged on one end to a relatively short, terminal portion
, straight, transversetransverse:
lying, situated, or placed across
to seed length and at the micropylarmicropyle:
an opening in the integuments of an ovule usually acting as a passage for the pollen tube
end.

Endosperm copious, mealy.

Habitat and crop association

The species Eriocaulon truncatum Buch.-Ham. ex Mart. is considered a weed of rice in Indonesia.

Aquarium & Pond Plants of the World tool includes descriptions and images of genera, which may be encountered.

Identification features

Fruit
Type	loculicidalloculicidal: type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal) capsulecapsule: a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary
Size range	less than 3 mm long
Shape(s)	ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic
Texture	chartaceouschartaceous: papery, papyraceous , sometimes leatheryleathery: texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
Surface relief	unknown
Color(s)	unknown
Unique features	Small, thin-walled loculicidalloculicidal: type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal) capsulescapsule: a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary with minute seeds.
Seed
Size range	0.2–1.5 mm long
Shape(s)	oblongoblong: 2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded , ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate , ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , fusiformfusiform: spindle-shaped; broadest at the middle and tapering at both ends
Surface relief	reticulatereticulate: surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces , ribbedribbed: surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface , wrinkledwrinkled: surface relief—shallow, irregular folds and furrows covering the surface; appearing overall though crumpled and then spread out , striatestriate: surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges , papillatepapillate: surface relief—bearing minute, distinct, broad-based projections, tapering to a rounded apex , spinyspiny: having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure , wartywarty: surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose
Color(s)	brown, red, yellow
Unique features	Seeds minute to small, reddish-brown to yellow, covered with T-shaped hookswith hooks: bristles or spines with curved or backwards pointing tips, or with secondary bristles along their length or strongly ornamented, and with rudimentaryrudimentary: (of embryo) embryo is small and fills less than a quarter of the seed and can be variable in shapes, such as linear, spatulate, or oval embryo and copious mealymealy: loose, dry, and disintegrating in finely granular pieces like meal or flour endosperm.
Other
Embryo	rudimentaryrudimentary: (of embryo) embryo is small and fills less than a quarter of the seed and can be variable in shapes, such as linear, spatulate, or oval , lenticularlenticular: 3D shape—lens-shaped; biconvex or capitatecapitate: head-shaped; abruptly enlarged on one end to a relatively short, terminal portion , straight, transversetransverse: lying, situated, or placed across to seed length and at the micropylarmicropyle: an opening in the integuments of an ovule usually acting as a passage for the pollen tube end
Nutritive tissue	endosperm copious and mealymealy: loose, dry, and disintegrating in finely granular pieces like meal or flour

Distribution

Pantropical, especially America, and extending into some temperate regions.

Distribution map courtesy of Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.

References

Baskin and Baskin 2021Baskin and Baskin 2021:
Baskin C and Baskin J. 2021. Relationship of the lateral embryo (in grasses) to other monocot embryos: A status up-grade. Seed Science Research 31 (3): 199-210. doi:10.1017/S0960258521000209; Dahlgren et al. 1985Dahlgren et al. 1985:
Dahlgren RMT, Clifford HT, and Yeo PF. 1985. The families of the monocotyledons: structure, evolution, and taxonomy. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 520 pp.; Flora of Australia 2021+Flora of Australia 2021+:
Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Accessed January 2021–March 2024. URL: http://www.ausflora.org.au; Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+:
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. Flora of North America Association, New York and Oxford. Accessed January-March 2024. URL: http://beta.floranorthamerica.org.; Kirkbride et al. 2006Kirkbride et al. 2006:
Kirkbride JH, Jr, Gunn CR, and Dallwitz MJ. 2006. Family guide for fruits and seeds, vers. 1.0. Accessed September 2020-January 2022. URL: https://nt.ars-grin.gov/seedsfruits/keys/frsdfam/index.cfm .; Kubitzki et al. 1990+Kubitzki et al. 1990+:
Kubitzki K et al., eds. 1990+. The families and genera of vascular plants. 7+ vols. Berlin etc.; Stevenson and Loconte 1995Stevenson and Loconte 1995:
Stevenson DW and Loconte H. 1995. A cladistic analysis of monocot families. In: Rudall PJ, Cribb PJ, Cutler DF, and Humphries CJ, eds. Monocotyledons: Systematics and Evolution. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.; Zhengyi et al. 2004+Zhengyi et al. 2004+:
Zhengyi W, Raven PH, and Deyuan H. 2004+. Flora of China [online]. 25 vols. Science Press, Beijing China & Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis USA. Accessed January–March 2024. http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

*The number of genera and species is based on Christenhusz and Byng 2016Christenhusz and Byng 2016:
Christenhusz MJM and Byng JW. 2016. The number of known plant species in the world and its annual increase. Phytotaxa 261 (3): 201-217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1, which may differ from the number of genera in GRIN-Global.