Mitella

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Mitella
Mitella caulescens 11381.JPG
Mitella caulescens
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Mitella
L.
Species

~12, see text

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.

Contents

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". [1] Latin mitra comes from Greek mítrā "girdle", "headband", or "turban". [2]

Species

Species include:

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Mitra Indo-Iranian divinity

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Stamen The male organ of a flower

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Sepal any of the separate parts of the calyx of a flower (excluding the bracts), usually green

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<i>Crambe</i> genus of plants

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Mitre Liturgical headdresses worn by Christian bishops and abbots

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Lappet hanging part of a headdress or garment

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<i>Thelymitra</i> genus of plants

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<i>Tiarella cordifolia</i> species of plant

Tiarella cordifolia, the heartleaf foamflower, heartleaved foamflower, Allegheny foamflower, false miterwort, or coolwort, is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family, native to North America. It is a herbaceous perennial which is valued in cultivation for its erect stems of foamy cream flowers in summer.

<i>Mitella nuda</i> species of plant

Mitella nuda, the naked bishop's cap or naked miterwort, is a plant in the genus Mitella. It has a single leaf, serrate but not deeply lobed, rising in single stalks from the ground. The leaf color is light green. Tiny white hairs arise perpendicular to the leaf surface. These are especially large and noticeable on the leaf top, but occur on the bottom also. The naked bishop's cap provides low ground cover and grows to be 1/4 inch to 1½ inches tall, not counting inflorescence.

<i>Mitella diphylla</i> species of plant

Mitella diphylla is a clump forming, open woodland plant native to eastern North America.

<i>Gyromitra infula</i> species of fungus

Gyromitra infula, commonly known as the hooded false morel or the elfin saddle, is a fungus in the family Helvellaceae. The dark reddish-brown caps of the fruit bodies develop a characteristic saddle-shape in maturity, and the ends of both saddle lobes are drawn out to sharp tips that project above the level of the fruit body. The stipe is white or flushed pale brown, smooth on the outside, but hollow with some chambers inside. It is found in the Northern Hemisphere, usually in the late summer and autumn, growing on rotting wood or on hard packed ground. G. infula is considered inedible as it contains the toxic compound gyromitrin, which, when metabolized by the body, is converted into monomethylhydrazine, a component of some rocket fuels. The toxin may be removed by thorough cooking. Gyromitra fungi are included in the informal category "false morels".

<i>Mitella breweri</i> species of plant

Mitella breweri is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common names Brewer's mitrewort and Brewer's bishop's cap. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to central California and Nevada, where it grows in moist meadows, woods, and mountain forests. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing up to about 30 or 40 centimeters tall. Most of the leaves occur around the base of the stem. They have rounded blades several centimeters wide and edges divided into dull toothed lobes. The erect inflorescence bears several flowers, sometimes over 50, usually along one side of the stem. The distinctive flower is saucer-shaped with five greenish petals which are divided into narrow, whiskerlike lobes.

<i>Mitella ovalis</i> species of plant

Mitella ovalis is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common names coastal miterwort and oval-leaf miterwort. It is native to western North America from southwestern British Columbia, including Vancouver Island, to northern California as far south as Marin County. It grows in moist, shady habitat, such as coastal forests and streambanks. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing up to about 35 or 40 centimeters tall. The leaves occur around the base of the stem. They have oval blades up to 5 centimeters wide with toothed, lobed edges. The erect inflorescence bears several flowers, generally 20 to 60, usually along one side of the stem. The distinctive flower is saucer-shaped with five greenish yellow petals which are divided into narrow, whiskerlike lobes.

<i>Mitella pentandra</i> species of plant

Mitella pentandra, or Pectiantia pentandra, is a species of flowering plant in the Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae), known by the common names fivestamen miterwort or five-point bishop's cap.

<i>Mitella trifida</i> species of plant

Mitella trifida is a species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common names threeparted miterwort and Pacific miterwort. It is native to western North America from Alaska to Montana to California, where it grows in wet wooded habitat types. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing up to about 45 centimeters tall. The leaves occur around the base of the stem. They have rounded blades up to 10 centimeters wide and lobed, round-toothed edges. The erect inflorescence bears up to 20 flowers, usually along one side of the stem. The distinctive flower is cup-shaped with five white or violet-tinged petals which are usually, but not always, divided into three lance-shaped lobes.

References

  1. "mitella". Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. September 2005. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. μίτρα . Liddell, Henry George ; Scott, Robert ; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project