Miterwort

<i>Mitella</i>

Mitella

Genus of flowering plants in the family Saxifragaceae

Mitella is a genus of flowering plants known as miterworts or bishop's caps. Mitella species are native to temperate and arctic North America and Asia.

Quick Facts Mitella, Scientific classification ...

Description

Mitella includes perennials growing from a scaly rhizome, bearing wide heart- or spade-shaped leaves near their bases and flowers with five petals in a long raceme or spike.

Etymology

The genus name means "little mitre", from Latin mitra with the diminutive suffix -ella, since the flowers are said to resemble bishop's headdresses. In Classical Latin use, however, mitella means "female headdress" or "sling".[2] Latin mitra comes from Greek mítrā "girdle", "headband", or "turban".[3]

Species

Four species and natural hybrids are accepted.[1]

  • Mitella diphylla L. - twoleaf miterwort
  • Mitella × inamii Ohwi & Okuyama
  • Mitella × intermedia Bruhin (M. diphylla × M. nuda)
  • Mitella nuda L. - naked miterwort (syn. Mitella prostrata - creeping bishop's cap)

Formerly placed here

  • Brewerimitella breweri (A.Gray) R.A.Folk & Y.Okuyama - Brewer's miterwort (as Mitella breweri A.Gray)
  • Brewerimitella ovalis (Greene) R.A.Folk & Y.Okuyama - coastal miterwort (as Mitella ovalis Greene)
  • Mitellastra caulescens (Nutt.) Howell - slightstemmed miterwort (as Mitella caulescens Nutt.)
  • Ozomelis diversifolia (Greene) Rydb. - angleleaf miterwort (as Mitella diversifolia)
  • Ozomelis stauropetala (Piper) Rydb. - smallflower miterwort (as Mitella stauropetala)
  • Ozomelis trifida (Graham) Rydb. - threepart miterwort (as Mitella trifida Graham)
  • Pectiantia pentandra (Hook.) Rydb. - fivestamen miterwort (as Mitella pentandra Hook.)

References

  1. [1]
    Mitella L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. [2]
    "mitella". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. [3]
    μίτρα. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
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