Cymopterus acaulis

           Plains Cymopterus

Flower Side

Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
27-April-2007

This species is andromonoecious which means it possesses both bisexual and male flowers.  The bisexual flowers contain both male parts (stamens) and female parts (ovary, styles, and stigmas), and if fertilized will eventually produce fruit.  The male flowers contain only male parts and cannot produce fruit.  The flower in this photo is bisexual.

Note that the calyx tube is completely adnate to the bilocular ovary.

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Cymopterus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 
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plants less than 3 dm tall, usually 1-2 dm; NOT [plants more than 3 dm tall]

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plants NOT with a bluish tinge

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plants scapose; NOT [plants with stem leaves]

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foliage NOT spiny

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leaves much divided, with leaflets or segments numerous; NOT [leaves simple or divided into few well-developed leaflets]

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lowest leaves (and the upper) compound; NOT [lowest leaves simple]

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leaves pinnate, trifoliate, or simple; NOT [leaves palmate with 5-7 large leaflets], foliage NOT digitately compound

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leaves 2 or more times pinnate or ternate; NOT [leaves once pinnate]

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NOT [leaves usually trifoliate; leaflets palmate, 10-30 cm wide]

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plants lacking axillary bulblets; NOT [plants with axillary bulblets largely replacing flowers]

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inflorescence NOT bluish

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flowers NOT in dense globose heads]

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umbel compound; NOT [umbel simple]

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umbel many-flowered; NOT [umbel few-flowered]

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involucral bracts small; NOT [involucral bracts large]

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involucral bracts slightly or not dissected; NOT [involucral bracts pinnately dissected]

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 bracts NOT spiny

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flowers white; NOT [flowers yellow]

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fruits more than 5 mm long; NOT [fruits 3-4 mm long]

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fruit generally 3 times as long as broad or less; NOT [fruit several times longer than broad]

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fruit oblong to elliptical; NOT [fruit linear to clavate]

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fruits flattened dorsally (at right angles to the styles); NOT [fruits more or less rounded in cross-section]

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fruit conspicuously winged on marginal and dorsal nerves; NOT [fruit winged on the marginal nerves only or wingless]

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fruit NOT spiny; NOT [fruit covered with short, hooked spines]

 

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Umbelliferae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this family.
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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stems hollow

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

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leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

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flowers in umbels

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flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

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parts of flowers mostly in fives; NOT [parts of flowers in twos or fours]

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calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

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stamens 10 or fewer; NOT [stamens usually more than 10]

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styles 2; NOT [styles 5]

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ovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]