The Eriocaulaceae are a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

monocotyledon Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, ( Lilianae '' sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are flowering plants whose seeds contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. A monocot taxon has been in use for several decades, but with various ranks ...

ous

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the order

Poales The Poales are a large order (biology), order of flowering plants in the monocotyledons, and includes families of plants such as the Poaceae, grasses, bromeliads, Juncaceae, rushes and Cyperaceae, sedges. 14 plant families are currently recogniz ...

, commonly known as the pipewort family. The family is large, with about 1207 known species described in seven genera. They are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

regions, particularly the

Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...

. Very few species extend to

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

regions, with only 16 species in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, mostly in the southern states from

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, only two species in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and only one species (''Eriocaulon aquaticum'') in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. They tend to be associated with wet soils, many growing in shallow water. This is also reported from the southern part of India and the regions of Western Ghats hot spots. The species are mostly

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of ...

perennial plant In horticulture, the term perennial (''wikt:per-#Prefix, per-'' + ''wikt:-ennial#Suffix, -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annual plant, annuals and biennial plant, biennials. It has thus been d ...

s, though some are

annual plant An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. Globally, 6% of all plant species and 15% of herbaceous plants (excluding trees and shrubs) are ...

s; they resemble plants in the related families

Cyperaceae The Cyperaceae () are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as wikt:sedge, sedges. The family (biology), family is large; botanists have species description, described some 5,500 known species in about 90 ...

(sedges) and

Juncaceae Juncaceae is a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the rush family. It consists of 8 genera and about 464 known species of slow-growing, rhizomatous, herbaceous monocotyledonous plants that may superficially resemble grasses and ...

(rushes), and like them, have rather small, wind-pollinated

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s grouped together in capitulum-like

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s. ;Genera *'' Actinocephalus'' *'' Comanthera'' *'' Coracoralina'' *'' Cryptanthella'' *'' Eriocaulon'' - pipewort *''

Floralia The Floralia was a Roman festival, festival of Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion in honor of the Flora (mythology), goddess Flora, held on 27 April during the Roman Republic, Republican era, or 28 April in the Julian calendar. The ...

'' *'' Giuliettia'' *'' Gnomus'' *'' Hydriade'' *'' Lachnocaulon'' - bogbutton *'' Leiothrix'' *'' Mesanthemum'' *'' Nisius'' *'' Paepalanthus'' *'' Rondonanthus'' *'' Syngonanthus'' *'' Tonina''

The Eriocaulaceae Book

Livro_O_Mundo_das_Eriocaulaceae_sempre-viva_chuveirinhos_e_capim-dourado.jpg Eriocaulaceae are fascinating plants, especially popular in South America, where they shape iconic and typical landscapes with their unique beauty and captivating diversity. In 2024, the book "The World of Eriocaulaceae: Everlastings, Pipeworts, and Golden Grass" (O mundo das Eriocaulaceae: sempre-vivas, chuveirinhos e capim-dourado), a bilingual work, was presented during the 74th Brazilian National Botany Congress. This book brings together the contributions of 16 researchers from various institutions around the world, organized into chapters that explore different aspects of the Eriocaulaceae family. Edited by experts Dr. Caroline Oliveira Andrino and Dr. Fabiana Nepomuceno da Costa, the work combines scientific rigor with accessible language, making it an engaging read for scientists, nature enthusiasts, and the general public alike. In addition to offering detailed information on the diversity and distribution of these plants, the book also delves into the significant use of Eriocaulaceae by traditional communities. These cultural and ecological connections highlight the value of these plants not only to science but also to local ways of life. Filled with stunning photographs captured by attentive eyes and skilled lenses, the book provides a visual and informative journey through the landscapes that host these extraordinary plants, showcasing species from different parts of the world.

References

External links

Eriocaulaceae
i
L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.
Image:Eriocaulon decangulare.jpg, ''Eriocaulon decangulare'' flowerhead {{Authority control Poales families

The Eriocaulaceae Book

See also

References

External links