Epifagus virginiana

(Linnaeus) W. P. C. Barton

Comp. Fl. Philadelph. 2: 50. 1818.

Illustrated
Basionym: Orobanche virginiana Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 633. 1753
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 464. Mentioned on page 461.

Racemes usually with 1–12 erect or ascending branches, yellow, blackish purple, purplish brown, yellowish-brown, or brown, (3.5–) 15–45 (–54) cm, arising from underground, ovoid, vegetative, cormlike structure covered with imbricate scale-leaves and short, coralloid, adventitious, yellow to brownish orange roots; bracts triangular to ovate or ± awl-shaped, 2–5 mm. Pedicels 1–3 mm; bracteoles 2, adnate to base of calyx, triangular-ovate, 1–2 mm. Flowers: calyx 2–3 mm, lobes acuminate, 1 mm. Chasmogamous flowers: appearing bisexual, rarely producing fruit; corolla ± laterally compressed, 8–12 mm, abaxial lip with lobes erect to ± spreading, apex acute, adaxial lobe erect, slightly incurved apically, margins entire or notched; stamens included or barely exserted; stigma usually exserted. Cleistogamous flowers: corolla 2–3 mm. Capsules obliquely ovoid, laterally compressed, ± reniform in silhouette, thickest proximally, 3–4 × 3–3.5 mm, 2 (or 3) -valved. Seeds 50 × 20 mu, testa striate-reticulate.


Phenology: Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat: Mesic deciduous forests, mixed broadleaf-conifer forests.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

N.B., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis., Mexico (Hidalgo), Mexico (Tamaulipas)

Discussion

Epifagus virginiana is an obligate parasite of the American beech, Fagus grandifolia (Fagaceae). Its range is coincident with that of its host, including disjunct occurrences in the highlands of Hidalgo and Tamaulipas, Mexico (J. W. Thieret 1969d, 1971). Different degrees of anthocyanin production among populations have led to the description of two trivial color forms. Local common names such as cancer-root, clap-wort, and flux-plant allude to the historical belief that the plant was efficacious medicinally for a number of ailments (Thieret 1971).

Epifagus americana Nuttall is an illegitimate name for E. virginiana.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Epifagus virginiana"
incurved +  and erect +
adnate +  and connate +
L. Turner Collins +, Alison E. L. Colwell +  and George Yatskievych +
(Linnaeus) W. P. C. Barton +
Orobanche virginiana +
chartaceous +, leathery +  and fleshy +
triangular +  and ovate or more or less awl-shaped +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
triangular-ovate +
ascending +  and erect +
1 +  and 12 +
campanulate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
reniform;compressed;ovoid +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
pale-yellow +, purplish red-and-white +, reddish-brown stripes +  and white +
purple;reddish purple +
not persistent +
compressed +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
N.B. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Ala. +, Ark. +, Conn. +, Del. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Ky. +, La. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Vt. +, Va. +, W.Va. +, Wis. +, Mexico (Hidalgo) +  and Mexico (Tamaulipas) +
0–1000 m. +
2 +  and 1 +
cleistogamous +  and chasmogamous +
indehiscent +, septicidal +, loculicidal +  and dehiscence +
Mesic deciduous forests, mixed broadleaf-conifer forests. +
axillary +  and terminal +
spiral +, whorled +, alternate +  and opposite +
deciduous +
basal +  and cauline +
erect +  and more or less spreading +
acuminate +
notched +  and entire +
tenuinucellate +  and unitegmic +
campylotropous-like +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Flowering Jul–Oct. +
Comp. Fl. Philadelph. +
45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br /> (54 cm540 mm <br />0.54 m <br />) +
brown +, yellowish-brown +, purplish brown +, blackish purple +  and yellow +
15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br /> (45 cm450 mm <br />0.45 m <br />) +
brownish orange +  and yellow +
adventitious +
coralloid +
pale amber +
50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br /> (?) +
500 +  and 600 +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (?) +
Illustrated +
exserted +  and included +
subequal +
aerial +  and subterranean +
erect +, ascending +  and prostrate to decumbent +
2-lobed +  and capitate +
Epifagus virginiana +
Epifagus +
species +
holoparasitic +  and hemiparasitic +