- You are here:
- Dichotomous Key
- Melanthiaceae
- Stenanthium
- Stenanthium gramineum
Stenanthium gramineum — eastern featherbells
Copyright: various copyright holders. To reuse an image, please click it to see who you will need to contact.
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.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Facts
Eastern featherbells is native to the southeastern United States, but not to New England, where it has been collected only in Connecticut. This is a strikingly ornamental species, and is sometimes cultivated in the native wildflower garden.
Habitat
Forest edges, forests
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Connecticut
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade length
- 200–700 mm
- Flower petal color
-
- green to brown
- white
- Flower petal length
- 4–10 mm
- Petal fusion
-
- the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
- the perianth parts are separate
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence is a panicle (branched with the individual flowers on stalks)
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- 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)
- Fruit length
- 6–10 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Axillary bulblets
- there are no bulblets being produced in axils
-
Flowers
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused (the number of carpels equals the number of locules)
- Flower petal color
-
- green to brown
- white
- Flower petal length
- 4–10 mm
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Form of style
- the flower has two or more completely separate styles
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence is a panicle (branched with the individual flowers on stalks)
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- Marks on petals
- the petals have spots or streaks on them
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of pistils
- 3
- Number of styles
- 3
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal fusion
-
- the perianth parts are fused to form a tube, cup, or bell shape
- the perianth parts are separate
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal length
- 4–10 mm
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spathe
- the plant does not have a spathe
- Spathe form
- NA
- Stamen length
- 1–4 mm
- Stamen number
- 6
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not fused to one another
- Stamens fused outwards
- the stamens are not fused to the petals or tepals
- Style petal-like
- the style is not broad and flattened like a petal
- Tepals
- the petals and sepals are similar in size and color
-
Fruits or seeds
- Berry color
- NA
- Fruit compartments
- there are three locules in the fruit
- Fruit length
- 6–10 mm
- 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)
- Other markings on berry
- NA
-
Glands or sap
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
- the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
-
Leaves
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade basal lobes
- the leaf blades do not have basal lobes
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf blade clasps the stem at the base, or the leaf blade goes all the way around the stem, so that the stem appears to pierce the leaf blade
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is U- or V-shaped
- Leaf blade faces
- both surfaces of the leaf blade are exposed
- Leaf blade form
- Fully-formed (i.e., expanded), +/- green leaf blades are found somewhere on the plant
- Leaf blade length
- 200–700 mm
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade veins
- the lateral veins are parallel or slightly arched in the direction of the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 5–30 mm
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Stipule twining
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on this plant
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- Connecticut
- Specific habitat
-
- edges of forests
- forests
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the leaves have no particular smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem leaves
- there is at least one fully-formed leaf on the flowering stem
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
Native to North America?
Sometimes confused with
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
1. Stenanthium gramineum (Ker-Gawl.) Morong E
eastern featherbells. Helonias graminea Ker-Gawl.; Stenanthium gramineum (Ker-Gawl.) Morong var. micranthum Fern.; S. gramineum (Ker-Gawl.) Morong var. robustum (S. Wats.) Fern.; S. robustum S. Wats. • CT. Forest openings and clearings.