Triantha glutinosa — sticky false asphodel
![Inflorescences: Triantha glutinosa. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Tofieldiaceae/triantha-glutinosa-in-ahaines.jpg)
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Facts
Sticky false asphodel is found in marshes, wet meadows and river shore seeps on calcareous soils in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Because of this habitat specialization it is considered locally rare in New Hampshire and Vermont, where it occurs only along the Connecticut River.
Habitat
Fens (calcium-rich wetlands), floodplain (river or stream floodplains), meadows and fields, 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
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- 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
- Up to 300 mm
- Flower petal color
-
- white
- yellow
- Flower petal length
- 3.8–5 mm
- Petal fusion
- the perianth parts are separate
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
- 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
- 3.75–7.5 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
-
- white
- yellow
- Flower petal length
- 3.8–5 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
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has hairs on it
- Inflorescence type
-
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of pistils
- 1
- 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 separate
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal length
- 3.5–3.8 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 number
- 6
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- 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 different in size and color
-
Fruits or seeds
- Berry color
- NA
- Fruit compartments
- there are three locules in the fruit
- Fruit length
- 3.75–7.5 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)
-
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 has no stalk
- 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 more or less flat in cross-section
- 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
- Up to 300 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
- Up to 6 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
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- fens (calcium-rich wetlands)
- meadows or fields
- river or stream floodplains
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the leaves have no particular smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem growth form
- the flowering stem is held upright
- Flowering stem leaves
- there are no true leaves on the flowering stem
- Stem hairs
-
- the stem has hairs on it
- the stem is nearly or completely hairless
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), threatened (code: T)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Triantha glutinosa (Michx.) Baker N
sticky false asphodel. Narthecium glutinosum Michx.; Tofieldia glutinosa (Michx.) Pers.; T. racemosa (Walt.) Small var. glutinosa (Michx.) Ahles • ME, NH, VT. Fens, meadows, rivershore seeps in regions of high-pH bedrock or till.