Herbs, 1.5-12.5 cm. Leaf blades linear or narrowly oblanceolate, 0.9-4 cm. Inflorescences: scapes 0.9-10.5 cm. Flowers: sepals 1-3-veined, scarious margins narrow or broad; petal claw 1-2 times as long as blade. Heads of achenes 4-26 × 1.5-2 mm, exserted beyond leaves. Achenes: outer face narrowly rhombic to elliptic or oblong, 1-2.2 × 0.4-1 mm, 2-5 times as high as wide, not bordered; beak 0.6-1.4 mm, 0.4-1 times as long as body of achene, diverging from outer face of achene, heads of achenes thus strongly roughened by projecting achene beaks.
Distribution
North America
Discussion
Varieties 3 (2 in the flora).
The illegitimate names Myosurus aristatus Bentham ex Hooker and M. minimus var. aristatus (Bentham ex Hooker) B. Boivin have been used for this species.
The Navaho-Ramah used Myosurus apetalus medicinally as a life medicine and as a protection against witches (D.E. Moerman 1986, citing M. aristatus).
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Heads of achenes 4–9 mm; sepals 1-veined, scarious margins broad. | Myosurus apetalus var. borealis |
| 1 | Heads of achenes 11–26 mm; sepals faintly 3-veined, scarious margins narrow. | Myosurus apetalus var. montanus |