Montia diffusa is a species of flowering plant in the family Montiaceae known by the common names branching montia and spreading miner's lettuce native to North America.
| Montia diffusa | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Montiaceae |
| Genus: | Montia |
| Species: | M. diffusa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Montia diffusa | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Distribution
editIt is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California, where it occurs mainly west of Cascade Range crest.[2] It grows in moist to wet wooded areas, including areas recently affected by wildfire.
Description
editMontia diffusa is an annual herb growing erect to about 20 centimeters in maximum height, its stem branching intricately. The diamond or lance-shaped leaves are alternately arranged and measure up to 5 centimeters in length, not counting their long petioles. The inflorescence is a raceme of 3 or more flowers. Each flower has usually five pink or white petals under half a centimeter in length blooming from a nearly closed cup of small green sepals wrapped around their bases.
References
edit- ^ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 8 May 2016
- ^ US Forest Service Fire Ecology
External links
edit
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