Eriocaulon

Scientific name

Eriocaulon L.

Common names

pipewort

Family

Eriocaulaceae

Similar genera

Blyxa, Lachnanthes, Lachnocaulon, Mesanthemum, Syngonanthus, Stratiotes, Tonina, Xyris

Native distribution

cosmopolitan, mostly in warmer regions

Species cultivated

Eriocaulon breviscapum Körn.

E. cinereum R. Br. [also offered under the synonym E. sieboldianum Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.]

E. compressum Lam.

E. depressum R.Br. ex Sm.

E. lividum F.Muell.

E. parkeri B.L.Rob.

E. quinquangulare L.

E. setaceum L.

Adventive distribution

Eriocaulon cinereum R. Br. is introduced into the United States; most likely non-native in West Africa.

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

attached stem plantstem plant:
(n) (a term used in the aquarium and pond plant trade) having an elongate stem (as opposed to a compact stem)
or basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosette (emersed forms always as basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosette)

Brief description

Annual or rarely perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Monoeciousmonoecious:
(adj) having separate male and female flowers on the same individual
or dioeciousdioecious:
(adj) having separate male and female flowers on different individuals of the same species
. Stem elongate in aquatic species and compact in flood tolerant species. Leaves caulinecauline:
(adj) pertaining to or belonging to the stem
or spirally arranged in basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosette; submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
leaves narrowly linear, emersedemersed:
see emergent
leaves lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
, venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
parallel; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a dense 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)
, subtended by involucreinvolucre:
(n) a whorl of bracts subtending a flower, flower cluster, or inflorescence
of bracts, borne on an elongate pedunclepeduncle:
(n) the stalk of a flower cluster or inflorescence
, solitary or in umbels. Flowers unisexualunisexual:
(adj) (of a flower) with either stamens (male) or pistils (female) but not both; consisting of only male or female 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
in 2 series, each with 2-3 segments. Dispersal by seed.

Natural habitat

clear, shallow waters of ephemeral water bodies

Additional comments

A genus comprising approximately 475 species worldwide. Many species are tolerant of periodic submersion, but only six species are considered strictly aquatic. Aquatic species typically have elongate stems with narrow leaves along the entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
stem length.