The Eriocaulaceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the order Poales, commonly known as the pipewort family. The family is large, with about 1207 known species described in seven genera. They are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical regions, particularly the Americas. Very few species extend to temperate regions, with only 16 species in the United States, mostly in the southern states from California to Florida, only two species in Canada, and only one species in Europe. They tend to be associated with wet soils, many growing in shallow water. This is also reported from the southern part of India and the regions of Western Ghats hot spots.
Eriocaulon is a genus of about 400 species commonly known as pipeworts, of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Eriocaulaceae. The genus is widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical regions, particularly southern Asia and the Americas. A few species extend to temperate regions, with ca. 10 species in the United States, mostly in the southern states from California to Florida, and only two species in Canada; China has 35 species, also mostly southern. Only one species occurs in Europe, where it is confined to the Atlantic Ocean coasts of Scotland and Ireland; this species also occurs in eastern North America and is thought to be a relatively recent natural colonist in Europe. In the Americas, Eriocaulon is the only genus in its family that occurs north of Florida. They tend to be associated with wet soils, many growing in shallow water, in wetlands, or in wet savannas like flatwoods. In wet soils, their abundance appears to be related to water levels, fire frequency, and competition from other plants such as grasses. Experiments have shown that they are weak competitors compared to many other wetland plant species. Some species can persist as buried seeds during unfavorable conditions. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek εριον, erion, meaning 'wool', and καυλός, caulos, meaning 'stalk'.
Narthecium americanum is a species of flowering plant in the Nartheciaceae known by the common names yellow asphodel and bog asphodel. It is native to New Jersey in the United States. It is now apparently limited to that state, having likely been extirpated from Delaware, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Sagittaria montevidensis is a species of flowering plant in the water-plantain family Alismataceae. Common names include giant arrowhead and California arrowhead.
Madia radiata is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names golden madia and showy madia. It is endemic to California, where it is known mostly from the Central Coast Ranges and adjacent edges of the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Valley.
Mimulus ringens is a species of monkeyflower known by the common names Allegheny monkeyflower and square-stemmed monkeyflower.
Rorippa subumbellata is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names Lake Tahoe yellowcress and Tahoe yellow cress. It is known only from the shores of Lake Tahoe, straddling the border between California and Nevada. There are an estimated fourteen populations of the plant still in existence. It grows only on the direct shoreline of the lake, occupying a seven-foot semi-aquatic zone between the high- and low-tide marks. It is directly impacted by recreational activities on the lake, enduring bombardment by boat wakes, trampling, and construction of docks and other structures.
Sagittaria sanfordii is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the water plantain family known by the common names valley arrowhead and Sanford's arrowhead. It is endemic to California, where it is known from a few scattered occurrences on the North Coast and in the Central Valley. Many occurrences previously noted in the Central Valley and in southern California have been extirpated as the plant's aquatic habitat has been lost to human activity.
Spergularia canadensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, known by the common name Canadian sandspurry. It is native to North America, where it is known from mainly coastal habitat. It is found along the coastline of Canada and northern parts of the United States, from Alaska to northern California on the West Coast, and as far south as New York on the East Coast.
Eriogonum evanidum is a rare species of wild buckwheat known by the common name vanishing wild buckwheat. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it has been collected from widely scattered areas. Most historical occurrences are now extirpated and the plant has not been collected since 1967. Some sources suggest that it is probably extinct. The plant was described as a new species in 2004 using specimens that were set aside from a collection of Eriogonum foliosum on the basis of some morphological characteristics. The specimens came from several locations in the southern California mountains, including Bear Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains and Pine Valley east of San Diego.
Chrysopsis floridana is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family, known by its common name, Florida golden aster. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it is known from Hillsborough, Hardee, Manatee, and Pinellas Counties. It is considered an endemic of the west-central coast of the state in the general vicinity of Tampa Bay. There are 17 to 20 occurrences, many of which have few individuals, but one of which has over one million plants. In 1986 the plant was added to the US endangered species list because it was becoming increasingly rare, it was growing only on private property, and its habitat was unprotected and being destroyed and degraded by a number of forces. It is found at Bell Creek Nature Preserve in Riverview, Florida.
Deinandra conjugens is a rare species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names Otay tarplant and Otay tarweed. It is native to a small section of far northern Baja California in Mexico, its range extending north into San Diego County, California, in the United States. One isolated population has been reported from the hills east of Cayucos in San Luis Obispo County.
Erythranthe michiganensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the lopseed family, known by the common name Michigan monkeyflower. This species occurs only in the Grand Traverse and Mackinac Straits areas within the American state of Michigan. It is one of only three plant species that are endemic to Michigan, with the other two being Voss's Goldenrod and Packera insulae-regalis.
Pinguicula ionantha is a rare species of flowering plant in the butterwort family known by the common names Godfrey's butterwort and violet butterwort. It is endemic to the US state of Florida, where it only occurs in the central Florida Panhandle. It is threatened by the loss of its habitat, and it is a federally listed threatened species of the United States.
Iva frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names Jesuit's bark, bigleaf marsh-elder, and high-tide bush. It grows in coastal eastern North America from Nova Scotia down the eastern coast and along the Gulf Coast to Texas.
Nemastylis floridana is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae known by the common names Florida celestial, fallflowering pleatleaf, and fallflowering ixia. It is endemic to Florida in the United States, where it faces many threats to its existence, but so far remains viable.
Physaria tumulosa is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common name Kodachrome bladderpod. It is endemic to Utah in the United States, where it is known only from Kane County. There is only one known population of this plant made up of scattered occurrences totalling about 20,000 individuals, all within the Kodachrome Basin. The plant is threatened by the loss and degradation of its habitat. It is federally listed as an endangered species. It was previously treated as a subspecies of Physaria hitchcockii.
Bidens hyperborea is a coastal species of flowering plant in the daisy family. It grows along the coasts of Hudson Bay, the Arctic Ocean, and the North Atlantic Ocean in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States.
Eriocaulon australasicum is an endangered monocotyledonous plant in the Eriocaulaceae family found in Australia, in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.
