Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt.

  • Authority

    Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

  • Family

    Santalaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt.

  • Description

    Species Description - Stems 1–4 dm, simple or branched; lvs 2–5 cm; tepals whitish, about equaling the hypanthium; 2n=28, 52 (?). Prairies, shores, and upland woods; widespread in N. Amer., from Nf. and Que. to B.C., s. to Ga., Ark., and N.M. May–July. Most of our plants belong to var. umbellata, the characteristic phase of e. N. Amer., with lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, ± evidently reticulate-veiny lvs green on both sides or somewhat paler beneath but not glaucous, the tep mostly 2–3 mm long and the fr mostly 4–6 mm thick. (C. richardsiana; C. u. var. decumbens) The well marked, more western var. pallida (A. DC.) M. E. Jones barely reaches our range, as in w. Minn. It has thicker, ± glaucous, often narrower lvs without evident lateral veins, longer, relatively narrower tep mostly 3–4 mm, and larger fr mostly 6–10 mm thick. (C. pallida)