Eriocaulaceae

Taxonomy

Family name: Eriocaulaceae Martinov

Synonym(s): [none]

Common name(s): pipewort family

*Number of genera/species: 7/1207

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 dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit)
, loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels
, less than 3 mm long, ellipsoidellipsoid:
3D shape—elliptic
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transectiontransection:
a cross section; representing a plane made by cutting across an organ at a right angle to its length
, persistent stylar remnantsstylar remnants:
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
), 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
.

Seed 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 transectiontransection:
a cross section; representing a plane made by cutting across an organ at a right angle to its length
, with micropylar operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence
, 0.2–1.5 mm long. Outer layer of seed coat is thinthin:
having or being of relatively little depth
, and if it persists appears as T-shaped hooks 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 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 micropylar end. Endospermendosperm:
nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds
copious, mealy.

Identification features

Fruit
Type	loculicidal loculicidal: type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal) capsule
Size range	less than 3 mm long
Shape(s)	ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic
Texture	chartaceous, sometimes leathery
Surface relief	unknown
Color(s)	unknown
Unique features	Small, thin-walled loculicidalloculicidal: type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal) capsulescapsules: a dry, dehiscent fruit formed by two or more carpels with minute seeds.
Seed
Size range	0.2–1.5 mm long
Shape(s)	oblong, ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate , ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , fusiform
Surface relief	reticulate, 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 , warty
Color(s)	brown, red, yellow
Unique features	Seeds minute to small, reddish-brown to yellow, covered with T-shaped hooks 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 endospermendosperm: nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds .
Other
Embryo	rudimentary, 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 micropylar end
Nutritive tissuenutritive tissue: tissue within the seeds that nourishes the developing embryo; such as endosperm, perisperm, or chalazosperm in angiosperms; megagametophyte in gymnosperms	endosperm endosperm: nutritive starch- and oil-containing tissue present in many seeds copious and mealy

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-May 2021. 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-December 2021. 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 2020ndash;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 amp; Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis USA. Accessed January-December 2021. 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): 201ndash;217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1, which may differ from the number of genera in GRIN-Global.