Syngonanthus

Scientific name

Syngonanthus Ruhland

Common names

hatpins

Family

Eriocaulaceae

Similar genera

Eriocaulon, Tonina

Native distribution

South America, tropical Africa & Madagascar

Species cultivated

(two species plus cultivated varieties and hybrids)

Syngonanthus cf. inundatus (Körn.) Ruhland

S. macrocaulon Ruhland [synonym: Syngonanthus anomalus (Körn.) Ruhland]

Adventive distribution

information not available

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

emergent emergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
or seasonally submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
herb

Brief description

Stems erect, simple or branched, dense or elongate. Leaves linear to lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
, overlapping, caulescentcaulescent:
(adj) having a more or less well developed above-ground stem
, bunching apically. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a headhead:
(n) inflorescence consisting of small closely packed stalkless flowers or florets arising at the same level on a flattened axis; of several types, including: discoid (composed entirely of disk flowers) and radiate (composed of central disk flowers and marginal ray flowers)
; perianthperianth:
(n) collective term for the calyx and corolla of a flower; also used for floral whorl(s) in which the calyx and corolla cannot be resolved; any of the leaves or bracts surrounding the sex organs of bryophytes
3-merous, distinct; outer segments more or less free; inner segments of the male united into a tube, of the female free at base and apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
with involuteinvolute:
(adj) rolled inwards (usually of leaves)
apicalapical:
(adj) of the apex
lobes. Stamens 3; anthers 4-locular; stylestyle:
(n) in a flower, the narrow and elongated part of the pistil between the stigma and the ovary
short with appendages at the same level as the stigmas; stigmasstigmas:
(n) the portion of the pistil that is receptive to pollen
3, simple, elongate.

Natural habitat

shallow water or seasonally inundated areas

Additional comments

Syngonanthus hygrotrichus Ruhland, from Brazil, is a totally submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
species in this genus of nearly 140 species. Syngonanthus cf. inundatus was introduced to the hobby as Tonina sp. 'Manaus' and is now known as Syngonanthus sp. 'Manaus'. S. macrocaulon was introduced to the hobby as Tonina sp. 'Belém' and is now known as Syngonanthus sp. 'Belem'.