Polanisia dodecandra — red-whiskered clammyweed
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Facts
Red-whiskered clammyweed is a distinctive plant, of which there are two subspecies in New England. Although both are widely distributed in North America, they have spread along roads and railroads into new areas. One subspecies (Polanisia dodecandra ssp. dodecandra) is native to Connecticut and Vermont, and introduced to Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The other (P. dodecandra ssp. trachysperma) is more common in western North America, and is introduced to New England. The former subspecies has smaller flowers and stamens barely longer than the petals, while the latter has larger flowers and stamens much longer than the petals.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), 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
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Stamen number
-
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13 or more
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 40–70 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower petal color
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
-
- blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal number
- 4
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
- Stamen number
-
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13 or more
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule splitting
-
- NA
- the capsule splits by two main valves, teeth or pores
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 40–70 mm
- Fruit locules
- two
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
-
- the plant lives more than two years
- the plant lives only a single year or less
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
- the base of the leaf blade is rounded
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets
- Leaves per node
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Specific leaf type
-
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
- the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Hairs between stem nodes
- at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Plant height
- At least 5 cm
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
Wetland status
Occurs only in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: UPL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- historical (S-rank: SH), special concern, extirpated (code: SC*)
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
ssp. dodecandra
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
ssp. trachysperma
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC. n
red-whiskered clammyweed. 1a. Polanisia graveolens Raf.; 1b. Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC. var. trachysperma (Torr. & Gray) Iltis; P. trachysperma Torr. & Gray • CT, MA, NH, VT; also reported from ME by Tucker (2010), but specimens are unknown. Sandy and stony lake shores, dry banks, railroads.
1a. Petals 3.5–6.5 (–8) mm long; longest stamens 4–10 (–14) mm long, scarcely if at all exceeding the petals … 1a. P. dodecandra ssp. dodecandra
1b. Petals (7–) 8–13 (–16) mm long; longest stamens (9–) 12–30 mm long, much exceeding the petals … 1b. P. dodecandra ssp. trachysperma (Torr. & Gray) Iltis
Subspecies dodecandra is known from CT, MA, NH, VT. It is native to CT and VT and introduced in MA and NH. Subspecies trachysperma is known from CT, MA. It is non-native to New England.
Native to North America?
Yes