''Caltha appendiculata'' is a perennial

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

plant found in several countries of South America.

Description

''Caltha appendiculata'' is a low (2½-7 cm high)

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...

, perennial herb, often growing in dense clusters over considerable areas, with thick

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s. The strong stems are sparingly branched, somewhat elongated, and covered by the remains of old sheaths. Its thick and fleshy leaves consist of a short leafstalk and a blade of between six and ten mm long, which is ovate, elliptical or oblong in outline, has an entire margin or is split into three lobes, and usually i
retuse
at the tip. Near the midrib on the upward leaf face are two or three narrow leaflike outgrowths. This makes the leaf blade in its entirety reminiscent of an opened book. These appendages are in fact

homologous Homology may refer to: Sciences Biology *Homology (biology), any characteristic of biological organisms that is derived from a common ancestor *Sequence homology, biological homology between DNA, RNA, or protein sequences * Homologous chrom ...

with the ears at the base of the leaf blade of Northern Hemisphere ''Caltha'' species. The faintly sweet scented actinomorphic solitary flowers of between one and two cm across have five spreading, lanceolate, pale yellow to creamy-green sepals with a purplish margin, and which are gradually narrowing towards the tip. Male flowers have thick, grooved

peduncle Peduncle may refer to: *Peduncle (botany), a stalk supporting an inflorescence, which is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed *Peduncle (anatomy), a stem, through which a mass of tissue is attached to a body **Peduncle (art ...

s. There are usually nine stamens. The five ovaries do not develop seeds. Female flowers have rudimentary

staminode In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen, which means that it does not produce pollen.Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent''; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co. ...

s, and five to nine compressed ovaries, with a papillose exterior. The carpels each contain up to seven or eight ovules, of which usually one or two develop into pale brown, shiny seeds. Flowers are present from late spring to summer. There are forty eight chromosomes (2n=48).

Distribution

The species occurs on the

Hermite Islands __NOTOC__ The Hermite Islands () are the islands ''Hermite'', ''Herschel'', ''Deceit'' and ''Hornos'' as well as the islets ''Maxwell'', ''Jerdán'', ''Arrecife'', ''Chanticleer'', ''Hall'', ''Deceit (islet)'', and ''Hasse'' at almost the southe ...

, the

Falklands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...

, Tierra del Fuego and the Southern Andes, in trickling melt water, marshes and other wet areas, from sea level up to about 2000 m.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q17812106 appendiculata Plants described in 1823 Flora of Chile Flora of Argentina Flora of the Falkland Islands Dioecious plants