Sclerolepis uniflora — sclerolepis
![Plant form: Sclerolepis uniflora. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Asteraceae/sclerolepis-uniflora-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Flowers: Sclerolepis uniflora. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Asteraceae/sclerolepis-uniflora-fl-ahaines-b.jpg)
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Facts
One-flowered sclerolepis is a rare and endangered plant of sandy and gravelly lakeshores. Only two New England populations are recognized, one in southern New Hampshire, the other on the Massachusetts-Rhode Island state border. One other population is considered introduced, as it is concentrated near a boat landing. The plant becomes more common from North Carolina south to Florida.
Habitat
Shores of rivers or lakes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 7–23 mm
- Flower head width
- 4–12 mm
- Disk flower number
- 21-50
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract cycle number
-
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- Bract inner side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their inner surfaces
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip extension appearance
- NA
- Bract tip extension edge
- NA
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- other
- pink to red
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
- 21-50
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Disk width
- 4–12 mm
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, the flowers have no enlarged lobe or strap, and are of similar size as those in the center of the disk
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is conical across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
- the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
- Flower head width
- 4–12 mm
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has disk flowers only, and lacks the strap-shaped flowers
- Height of flower head base
- 3–4 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- NA
- Inflorescence stem
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 22–30
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- Peduncle hair type
- NA
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles have no hairs
- Peduncle length
- 20–60 mm
- Ray flower color
- NA
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Ray flowers
- NA
- Ray length
- 0 mm
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers on the plant contain both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is a cycle of much smaller bracts outside the cycle of larger and longer bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
-
- the style branch is narrow at the tip, or the style branches are narrow at the tips
- the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
- Width of flower head base
- 10 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 5
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 2–3.5 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- NA
- Seed hair tuft color
- NA
- Seed hair tuft details
- NA
- Seed hair tuft length
- 1 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
- NA
- Seed hairs uniform
- NA
- Seed tuft scale number
- 5
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of flat scales that are not split or frayed at the tips
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
-
Glands or sap
- Bract resin
- the bracts have resin or resin glands
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Ovary glands
- there are glands on the ovary surface
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 7–23 mm
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 0.3–2 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair length
- 0 mm
- Stem internode hair type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state endangered (code: SE)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Sclerolepis uniflora (Walt.) B.S.P. NC
sclerolepis. Aethulia uniflora Walt.; Sclerolepis verticillata (Michx.) Cass.; Sparganophorus verticillatus Michx. • MA, nh, RI. Shallow water of lakes, sandy and gravelly lake shores. Some occurrences may be introduced (e.g., Wallum Lake, Worcester County, MA), given that the plants are concentrated near the boat landing.
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Aethulia uniflora Walt.
- Sclerolepis verticillata (Michx.) Cass.
- Sparganophorus verticillatus Michx.