Limnanthaceae

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Content is from Kirkbride et al. 2006, without modification. 
Updates are forthcoming.

Taxonomy

Limnanthaceae R. Brown

Common name: Meadow-foam Family.

Number of genera: 2 genera.

Number of species (Mabberley 1997): 8 species.

Disseminule

Fruit (dehisced), or seed.

Description

Fruits: Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit pericarpium; schizocarp; achenarium; without persistent central column; not within accessory organ(s); 1-seeded to more than 1 but less than 10-seeded; 1–5-seeded (nutlets); with 2–3-carpellate (Floerkea), or (4–)5-carpellate (Limnanthes); with carpels separate; with carpels separating at maturity; with carpels not radiating at maturity; without sterile carpels; not sulcate; in transection terete; apex not beaked; wall hard (assumed = nutlet); dehiscent. Dehiscent and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp durable; glabrous; without armature; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp absent (assumed). Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin; splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; stone unilocular; stone 1–5-loculate; smooth, or not smooth; with tubercules; without wing; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without mechanism for seedling escape; without grooves; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.

Seeds: Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; ovate (more or less); not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity without food reserves, or with food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without markedly different marginal tissue; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; tight; dull; surface unsmooth; surface with discreet raised features; surface tuberculate; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades); membranous; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding embryo. Endosperm development nuclear. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; completely filling testa (no food reserve); at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; foliate; with investing cotyledons; straight; parallel to seed length; with cotyledons abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; with cotyledons containing fats (of eicosenic & euric types); without stomata; green (at least coyledons); with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.75–0.9 times length of embryo; somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 3–4 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle (estimated); entirely concealing hypocotyl-radicle; not foliaceous; moderately thick, or thick; flat; smooth; with apices entire; with margins separate; basally cordate; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle vestigial, or small; straight.

Distribution

General distribution: New World.

Detailed distribution: North America.

References

General references: Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Engler, A. & K. Prantl. 1924 and onward. Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilimien. W. Engelman, Leipzig, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) & 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) & 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gray, A. 1848. Genera florae Americae boreali-orientalis illustrata, 2 vols. James Munroe & Co., Boston., Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, & J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 & amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. & J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, & Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, and Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.