Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica)
Description
The monotypic genus Anemopsis has only one species,Anemopsis californica,with the common names yerba mansa or lizard tail.It is a perennial herb in the lizard tail family (Saururaceae) and prefers very wet soil or shallow water.As it matures,the visible part of the plant develops red stains,eventually turning bright red in the fall. Yerba mansa is showy in spring when in bloom.The iconic white "flowers" (actually reduced inflorescences,or pseudanthia) are borne in early spring,and are surrounded by 4?9 large white bracts.Similar to the sunflower family,what appears to be a single bloom is in reality a dense cluster of individually small flowers borne in an inflorescence.In this species the inflorescence is conical and has five to ten large white bracts beneath it,so that along with the tiny white florets,the whole structure is quite striking when it blooms in spring.The conical structure develops into a single,tough fruit that can be carried downstream to spread the tiny,pepper-like seeds.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Piperales
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Family: Saururaceae
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Genus: Anemopsis
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