Mitella is a genus of flowering plants known as miterworts or bishop's caps. Mitella species are native to temperate and arctic North America and Asia.
| Mitella | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mitella caulescens | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Saxifragaceae |
| Genus: | Mitella Tourn. ex L. (1753) |
| Species[1] | |
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Mitellopsis Meisn. (1838) | |
Description edit
Mitella includes perennials growing from a scaly rhizome, bearing wide heart- or spade-shaped leaves near their bases and flowers with five petals in a long raceme or spike.
Etymology edit
The genus name means "little mitre", from Latin mitra with the diminutive suffix -ella, since the flowers are said to resemble bishop's headdresses. In Classical Latin use, however, mitella means "female headdress" or "sling".[2] Latin mitra comes from Greek mítrā "girdle", "headband", or "turban".[3]
Species edit
Four species and natural hybrids are accepted.[1]
- Mitella diphylla L. - twoleaf miterwort
- Mitella × inamii Ohwi & Okuyama
- Mitella × intermedia Bruhin (M. diphylla × M. nuda)
- Mitella nuda L. - naked miterwort (syn. Mitella prostrata - creeping bishop's cap)
Formerly placed here edit
- Brewerimitella breweri (A.Gray) R.A.Folk & Y.Okuyama - Brewer's miterwort (as Mitella breweri A.Gray)
- Brewerimitella ovalis (Greene) R.A.Folk & Y.Okuyama - coastal miterwort (as Mitella ovalis Greene)
- Mitellastra caulescens (Nutt.) Howell - slightstemmed miterwort (as Mitella caulescens Nutt.)
- Ozomelis diversifolia (Greene) Rydb. - angleleaf miterwort (as Mitella diversifolia)
- Ozomelis stauropetala (Piper) Rydb. - smallflower miterwort (as Mitella stauropetala)
- Ozomelis trifida (Graham) Rydb. - threepart miterwort (as Mitella trifida Graham)
- Pectiantia pentandra (Hook.) Rydb. - fivestamen miterwort (as Mitella pentandra Hook.)
References edit
- ^ a b c Mitella L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ "mitella". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ μίτρα. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
External links edit
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