Eriophorium species areperennialherbaceous plants that persist by means of undergroundrhizomes.[4][5] Stems (calledculms) grow singly or in clumps (i.e.,cespitose). Both basal leaves and stem leaves are present, although the latter are bladeless in some species. The terminalinflorescence is either a single erectspikelet or multiple spikelets onpeduncles of various lengths. In the case of multiple spikelets, the inflorescence is subtended by one or more leaf-likebracts. Individualflowers have 10 or more smoothperianth bristles that greatly elongate and remain attached to theachene during fruiting. The bristles facilitateseed dispersal by wind. In coldArctic regions, the bristles also serve as insulation by trapping solar radiation and thereby increasing the temperature of the reproductive organs.[6]
Eriophorum sectionPhyllanthela: multiple spikelets (rarely one), subtended by one or more leaf-like bracts
Besides the number of spikelets and the presence of bracts, other characters may be used for identification, including: the length of the uppermost leaf blade relative to its sheath; the number of bracts (0, 1, or more than 1); the length and orientation of the bracts; the length of the peduncles; and the color of the bristles.
In the first edition ofSpecies Plantarum published in 1753, the Swedish botanistCarl Linnaeus establishedgenusEriophorum by recognizing fourspecies:Eriophorum vaginatum,Eriophorum polystachion,Eriophorum virginicum, andEriophorum alpinum.[1][9] In the second edition published in 1762, Linnaeus added a fifth species,Eriophorum cyperinum.[10] The nameEriophorumL. is the primarygeneric name in use today.[3][11] Although the names of some of the species have changed, the number of recognizedtaxa in genusEriophorum has remained more-or-less the same since 1994.[12][13]
In the fifth edition ofGenera Plantarum published in 1754 (intended to accompany the first edition ofSpecies Plantarum), Linnaeus referenced the prior work of the Italian botanistPier Antonio Micheli and the French botanistJoseph Pitton de Tournefort.[14] In 1729, Micheli described genusLinagrostis, including an illustration of an unidentified plant.[15] (The plant was later identified to beEriophorum vaginatum.[16]) Tournefort coined the French nameLinaigrette (Latin:Linagrostis) in 1694,[17] but his contribution became better known in Europe when his book was translated to Latin in 1719.[18]
The French naturalist and mineralogistJean-Étienne Guettard resurrected the pre-Linnaean nameLinagrostis in 1750, and again in 1754, butLinagrostisGuett. is regarded as a synonym forEriophorumL.[19][20] After Guettard, the nameLinagrostis was redescribed by numerous botanists, includingJohn Hill (1756),Johann Gottfried Zinn (1757), andGiovanni Antonio Scopoli (1771),[21][22][23] but all three publishedillegitimate names sinceLinagrostisGuett. takes precedence. Scopoli's description ofLinagrostisTourn. ex Scop. is notable, however, since it is explicitly based on the early work of Tournefort.[24] The namesLinagrostis vaginata(L.) Scop.,Linagrostis alpina(L.) Scop., andLinagrostis polystachia(L.) Scop. are synonyms for the corresponding names introduced by Linnaeus in 1753.[25][26][27]
The Austrian botanist and mycologistEduard Palla established genusEriophoropsis in 1896 bysegregatingEriophorum virginicum into a new genus.[28] The nameEriophoropsisPalla is both a synonym forEriophorumL. and thebasionym ofEriophorum subgen. Eriophoropsis(Palla) Raymond, the latter described by the Canadian botanistLouis-Florent-Marcel Raymond in 1954.[29][30]
World Flora Online (WFO) accepts all of the above species and hybrids exceptEriophorum arcticum.[11] In addition, WFO acceptsEriophorum × polystachiovaginatum whereas POWO does not.
Of the five species described by Linnaeus in 1753 and 1762, three of the names are no longer in use.Eriophorum polystachionL. is arejected name,[32][33] now considered to be a synonym forEriophorum angustifoliumHonck. subsp. angustifolium,[34] whileEriophorum alpinumL. andEriophorum cyperinumL. are synonyms forTrichophorum alpinum(L.) Pers. andScirpus cyperinus(L.) Kunth, respectively.[35][36]
The Swedish mycologist and botanistElias Magnus Fries describedEriophorum russeolum in 1836.[37] Some authors considerEriophorum russeolumFr. to be a synonym forEriophorum chamissonisC.A.Mey.,[38][39] while others consider the two names to refer to separate species.[40][41][42][43]
In 1942, the American agrostologist and botanistAlan Ackerman Beetle placed the speciesScirpus crinigerA.Gray into genusEriophorum.[44] In 2012,Eriophorum crinigerum(A.Gray) Beetle wassegregated into genusCalliscirpus, and soEriophorum crinigerum is a synonym forCalliscirpus criniger(A.Gray) C.N.Gilmour, J.R.Starr & Naczi.[45]
In 1957, the Canadian botanistLouis-Florent-Marcel Raymond placed the speciesScirpus scabriculmisBeetle into genusEriophorum.[46] In 2019,Eriophorum scabriculme(Beetle) Raymond was segregated into genusTrichophorum.[47] HenceEriophorum scabriculme is a synonym forTrichophorum scabriculme(Beetle) J.R.Starr, Lév.-Bourret & B.A.Ford.[48]
The invalidly published nameEriophorum × polystachiovaginatumBeauverd is a synonym forEriophorum × beauverdiiSoó but the latter is unplaced by POWO.[49]
Based onphylogenetic analyses,Eriophorum forms a well‐supportedclade nested within the genusScirpus, which suggests the latter isparaphyletic. To resolve this issue, there are at least two options: 1) mergeEriophorum intoScirpus, or 2) splitScirpus into a series of new genera. As of August 2024[update], there has been insufficient data for a majority of botanists to prefer one option or the other.[54][55]
Eriophorum virginicum,Eriophorum tenellum, andEriophorum gracile form a strongly supported clade that is sister to the rest of the genus. The clade is distinguished by havingglumes (scales at the base of each flower in aspikelet) with many prominent nerves, whereas the glumes of the remaining species possess a single prominent midnerve.[56]
Within a weakly supported clade ofunispicate species (i.e., species with a single spikelet),Eriophorum russeolum andEriophorum scheuchzeri form a strongly supported,monophyleticspecies complex characterized by arhizomatous habit, up to 7 sterile glumes, and by glumes with well-definedhyaline margins (i.e., with thin, translucent edges). In contrast, in the sister clade to this complex (Eriophorum vaginatum,Eriophorum brachyantherum, andEriophorum callitrix) each species has acaespitose habit and more than 12 sterile glumes that generally lack clear hyaline margins.[56]
North America:E.angustifolium,E.brachyantherum,E.callitrix,E.chamissonis,E.gracile,E.scheuchzeri,E.tenellum,E.triste,E.vaginatum,E.virginicum,E.viridicarinatum
Paper and the wicks ofcandles have been made of its fiber, andpillows stuffed with the same material. The leaves were formerly used in treatingdiarrhea, and the spongypith of the stem for the removal oftapeworm.[57]
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