Lithophragma
Lithophragma sp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Lithophragma
(Nutt.) Torr. & Gray
Species

~12, see text

Lithophragma is a genus of flowering plants in the saxifrage family containing about nine species native to western North America. These plants are known generally as woodland stars. The petals of the flowers are usually bright white with deep, long lobes or teeth. Each petal may look like three to five petals, when at closer inspection the lobes fuse into a single petal at its base. Most species reproduce via bulblets instead of seeds. L. maximum is a federally listed endangered species. Lithophragma specifically coevolved with moths of the genus Greya, who pollinate and only lay eggs on Lithophragma plants.[1]

Species

There are 9 species. The Flora of North America North of Mexico counts 10 species, elevating L. parviflorum var. trifoliatum to species status,[2] but the Jepson Manual considers it to be a variety of L. parviflorum restricted to California.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Diverse scents of woodland star wildflowers driven by coevolution with pollinators". phys.org. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Flora of North America". eFloras.org. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
  3. ↑ "Jepson Manual". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2014-06-03.


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