Montia linearis

• Latin Name: Montia linearis
• Family: Portulacaceae
• Common Names: lineleaf Indian lettuce, narrow-leafed montia
• Synonyms/Misapplications: Clatyonia linearis
• Codon: MONLIN

Taxonomy

• Plantae – Plants
• Subkingdom - Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
• Superdivision - Spermatophyta – Seed plants
• Division - Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
• Class - Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
• Subclass - Caryophyllidae
• Order - Caryophyllales
• Family - Portulacaceae
• Genus - Montia
• Species - M. linearis

Description

General: Annual herb from a fibrous root; stems ascending to erect, usually solitary but sometimes several, branched or unbranched, 5-20 cm tall.

Leaves: Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves several, leaves are alternate and narrow, 1.5 - 5 cm long. linear, 1-3 mm wide.

Flowers: Inflorescence of loose terminal or axillary racemes 2-5 cm long with 5-12 flowers on slightly recurved stalks 5-20 mm long; petals 5, white, 4-6.5 mm long; sepals 2, 3-4 mm long but up to 6 mm long in fruit; stamens 3.

Fruits: Capsules, 3-valved; seeds black, shiny, lens-shaped, 1.4-2.5 mm long

Bloom Period

April - July

Distribution

From British Columbia, east to Saskatchewan, south along the west coast of the United States to Southern California, and is also present in some states in the south eastern United States.

Habitat

Moist to dry fields, grasslands and rocks slopes in the lowland, steppe, and lower montane zones.

Propagation

Seeds were sown into cone-tainers filled with Sunshine # 1 (a soil-less peat-based media) amended with micro-nutrients (Micromax) and a slow-release fertilizer (Osmocote 14-14-14.) The flats of cone-tainers were covered with poly-ethylene bags and placed in a walk-in cooler (35-40 degrees) for 2 weeks.

Flats were removed from the cooler after 2 weeks and placed in greenhouse set at moderate temperatures (70 degree days/ 50 degree nights.) Seeds germinated within one to two weeks. 60% germination occurred.

Seed

Seed sample from: 2011

Average Measurement: 2.2 x 2.2 x 1

Measurement Range: L: 2 - 2.5, W: 2 - 2.5, D: 0.9 - 1.1

Features

Shape: Seed lenticular in shape.

Color: Hilum scar is white, surrounded by a ring of brown. Seed is dark red to black.

Surface: Seeds are papillose with some small ridges around the surface edges.

Could be confused with: Caladrinia ciliata

Latitudinal Cross Section: : rhombic

Longitudinal Cross Section: elliptical

Montia linearis, photo by Lisa Hintz

Montia linearis seed, photo by Lisa Hintz.

Basic Explanations and Assumptions:

The dimensions for the seeds are length x width x depth. The location of the hilum is used as the base of the seed, and the length is measured from hilum to the opposite apex. Where a style is present, the length is measured from the hilum to the bottom of the style. Width is measured at a right angle to the length at the widest part. Depth is measured at a right angle to the intersection of height and width lines.

Measurements included are the mean average for each measurement of ten separate seeds.

All measurements in millimeters unless otherwise noted.

Photo Gallery

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  photo by Bernard Kovalchik