Eriocaulon


Eriocaulon is a genus of about 400 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Eriocaulaceae, commonly known as pipeworts.

Etymology

The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek ἔριον,, meaning 'wool', and καυλός,, meaning 'stalk'.

Description

The species are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, though some are annual plants; they resemble plants in the related families Cyperaceae and Juncaceae, and like them, have rather small, wind-pollinated flowers.

Distribution and habitat

The genus is widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical regions, particularly southern Asia and the Americas. A few species extend to temperate regions, with approximately 10 species in the United States, mostly in the southern states from California to Florida, and only two species in Canada; China has 35 species, also mostly southern. Only one species occurs in Europe, where it is confined to the Atlantic Ocean coasts of Scotland and Ireland; this species also occurs in eastern North America and is thought to be a relatively recent natural colonist in Europe. In the Americas, Eriocaulon is the only genus in its family that occurs north of Florida.
They tend to be associated with wet soils, many growing in shallow water, in wetlands, or in wet savannas like flatwoods. In wet soils, their abundance appears to be related to water levels, fire frequency, and competition from other plants such as grasses. Experiments have shown that they are weak competitors compared to many other wetland plant species. Some species can persist as buried seeds during unfavorable conditions.

Selected species

Names were sourced from official sources including: the Flora of North America, the Flora of China, currently accepted Australian taxa from the Australian [Plant Name Index], etc..Eriocaulon achitonEriocaulon acutibracteatumEriocaulon aethiopicumEriocaulon albocapitatumEriocaulon aloefolium – Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon alpestreEriocaulon angustulumEriocaulon anshienseEriocaulon apetalumEriocaulon aquaticum – n. Europe & e. North AmericaEriocaulon asteroidesEriocaulon athertonense – Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon atrumEriocaulon australasicum – SA, NSW, Vic, AustraliaEriocaulon australe – Cambodia, China, W Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, NT, Qld, NSW, Australia, Pacific IslandsEriocaulon balakrishnaniiEriocaulon bamendaeEriocaulon baramaticumEriocaulon barbeyanumEriocaulon benthamiiEriocaulon bifistulosum – Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon boleiEriocaulon brevipedunculatumEriocaulon breviscapumEriocaulon brownianumEriocaulon buergerianumEriocaulon carpentariae – NT, Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon carsonii – SA, Qld, NSW, Australia
Image:Eriocaulon decangulare.jpg|thumb|190px|right|Eriocaulon decangulareEriocaulon decangulareEriocaulon decemflorumEriocaulon depressum – NT, Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon dictyophyllumEriocaulon dregeiEriocaulon duthieiEriocaulon echinulatumEriocaulon elenoraeEriocaulon ermeienseEriocaulon eurypeplonEriocaulon exsertumEriocaulon faberiEriocaulon fistulosum – WA, NT, Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon fluviatileEriocaulon fysoniiEriocaulon giganticum – Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon glabripetalumEriocaulon gregatumEriocaulon henryanum
Image:Eriocaulon heterolepis in Narshapur, AP W IMG 0947.jpg|thumb|190px|right|Eriocaulon heterolepis
Image:Eriocaulon madayiparense Type specimen.jpg|thumb|190px|right|Eriocaulon madayiparense type specimenEriocaulon heterolepisEriocaulon hookerianumEriocaulon hydrophilumEriocaulon inapertum – WA, NT, AustraliaEriocaulon inyangenseEriocaulon kanarenseEriocaulon karaavalenseEriocaulon karnatakenseEriocaulon kathmanduenseEriocaulon koernickianumEriocaulon kolhapurenseEriocaulon konkanenseEriocaulon koynenseEriocaulon kunmingenseEriocaulon lanceolatumEriocaulon leianthumEriocaulon leptophyllumEriocaulon leucomelasEriocaulon lineareEriocaulon lividum – AustraliaEriocaulon longicuspeEriocaulon longifoliumEriocaulon longipetalumEriocaulon luzulifoliumEriocaulon madayiparenseEriocaulon maharashtrenseEriocaulon mangshanenseEriocaulon margaretaeEriocaulon mbalensisEriocaulon meiklei
Image:Eriocaulon scariosum 1.jpg|thumb|190px|right|Eriocaulon scariosumEriocaulon scariosum – Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic., AustraliaEriocaulon schimperiEriocaulon schlechteriEriocaulon schochianumEriocaulon schultzii – NT, AustraliaEriocaulon sclerophyllumEriocaulon scullionii – WA, NT, AustraliaEriocaulon sedgwickiiEriocaulon selousiiEriocaulon setaceum – Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, WA, NT, Qld, Australia Eriocaulon sexangulareEriocaulon sharmaeEriocaulon sivarajaniiEriocaulon sollyanumEriocaulon spectabile – WA, NT, Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon staintoniiEriocaulon stellulatumEriocaulon stipantepalumEriocaulon taishanenseEriocaulon talbotiiEriocaulon texenseEriocaulon thwaitesiiEriocaulon tonkinenseEriocaulon tortuosum – WA, NT, Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon tricornum – NT, AustraliaEriocaulon trisectoidesEriocaulon truncatum – Qld, Australia, AsiaEriocaulon tuberiferumEriocaulon vandaanamensisEriocaulon virideEriocaulon wightianumEriocaulon willdenovianum – NT, Qld, AustraliaEriocaulon xeranthemumEriocaulon zollingerianum – China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, NT, Qld, Australia
;Species accepted by the authoritative Australian Plant Census, informally named, described and published awaiting formal publicationEriocaulon sp. C Kimberley Flora WA Herbarium – WA, AustraliaEriocaulon sp. E Kimberley Flora WA Herbarium – WA, AustraliaEriocaulon sp. G Kimberley Flora WA Herbarium – WA, AustraliaEriocaulon sp. Harding Range WA Herbarium – WA, AustraliaEriocaulon sp. Theda WA Herbarium – WA, Australia