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Key to Claytonia

Montiaceae

Claytonia

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1 Cauline leaves either fused together, perfoliate, the pair together nearly round, or not fused but each broadly ovate; annual, from fibrous roots with minute tubers; [cultivated, rarely naturalizing].
  2 Basal rosette leaves flattened against the ground, the blade 0.5-1.5 cm long
1 Cauline leaves not fused, each linear, lanceolate, or ovate; perennial, from tubers 1-2 cm in diameter; [native, of moist forests].
    3 Cauline leaves (5-) 7-20 cm long (including the poorly differentiated petiole), the blade > 8× as long as wide; leaves 1-10 (-20) mm wide
      4 Anthers white; veins of the petals yellow to red-orange; petals deep yellow to yellow-orange; sat least some plants blooming into late summer; [n. NJ, in wetlands]
 Claytonia virginica var. hammondiae
      4 Anthers pink; veins of the petals pink; petals white to pink or rarely yellow; plants blooming into late May; [widespread, wetlands and a wide range of mesic to dry-mesic habitats]
    3 Cauline leaves 3-6 (-11) cm long (including the evident petiole), the blade narrowly diamond-shaped, 2.5-6 (-8)× as long as wide; leaves 10-15 (-30) mm wide.
        5 Leaf blades 1-3× as long as wide; young plants with rhizomes and tubers; flowers subtended by bracts throughout the inflorescence; [sandstone ledges, AR]
        5 Leaf blades 2-6 (-8)× as long as wide; young plants with tubers only; flowers ebracteate except the lowermost 1 (-2); [moist forests, east of the Mississippi River in our region]