Species: Hypoxis hirsuta (L.) Coville

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Hypoxis hirsuta (L.) Coville

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Liliaceae

Genus:

Hypoxis

Species Synonyms:

Hypoxis decumbens L.
Ornithogalum hirsutum L.

Common Names:

common goldstar
eastern yellow star-grass
yellow stargrass

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southeastern Saskatchewan – southern Ontario

Saskatchewan:

southeastern Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

mesic grasslands

Canada:

moist to dry prairies and occasionally in open deciduous woods

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Common goldstar is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is at the northern extent of its range and is rarely found in this province. No immediate threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

5 – 30 cm

Roots:

corm nearly round to ellipsoid, coat membranous

Stems:

thin

Leaves:

basal, 3 – 6, 5 – 26 cm long, 2 – 5 mm wide, linear, soft, essentially hairless to densely hairy

Inflorescence:

umbrella-like, ascending to spreading, 1 – 14-flowered; bracts 2 – 10 mm; flower stalks 9 – 25 mm long, usually twice as long as the bracts

Flowers:

tepals 6 – 10 mm long, shorter than flower stalks, much longer than ovary, yellow; stamens 6, anthers turned inwards; ovary inferior, densely hairy

Fruits:

capsule ellipsoid; seeds black, shiny

LILIACEAE KEY FOR GENERA FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Leaves whitish, reduced to scales, photosynthetic parts branched with needle-like segments; flowers axillary	Asparagus
1 Leaves green, not reduced to scales; flowers terminal or axillary	2

2 At least some leaves whorled, occasionally upper or lowermost alternate or opposite; flowers large	3
2 Leaves all alternate or basal; flowers small	4

3 Leaves oval to diamond-shaped	Trillium
3 Leaves linear to broadly lance-shaped	Lilium

4 Leaves linear to narrowly lance-shaped, many times longer than wide; fruit dry	5
4 Leaves lance-shaped to ovate, only a few times longer than wide; fruit fleshy	8

5 Flowers in umbrella-like clusters; plants with an onion odour	Allium
5 Flowers in unbranched clusters; plants lacking an onion odour

6 Leaves with flat part of blade turned towards stem; bulbs present; tepals segments at least 6 mm long	Zigadenus
6 Leaves with edges turned towards stem; rootstocks present; tepals < 5 mm long	7

7 Stems smooth; flower stalks solitary; seeds without a tail-like appendage	Tofieldia
7 Stems glandular-hairy; flower stalks in clusters of 2 or 3; seeds with a tail-like appendage	Triantha

8 Leaves basal, with few on stem, reduced upwards, grass-like	Hypoxis
8 Leaves on the stem, usually without basal leaves, wider	9

9 Flowers axillary, greenish-white	10
9 Flowers terminal on stems or branches, yellow, whitish, or greenish-yellow	11

10 Tepals fused to form a tube; flowers 2 or more	Polygonatum
10 Tepals distinct; flowers 1 or 2	Streptopus

11 Stems simple; ovary with nectaries	Maianthemum
11 Stems branched distally; ovary lacking nectaries	Prosartes (formerly Disporum)