Favoritos de wdvanhem

M.J. Oldham & D. Kirk 4091; specimen record, dupes at MICH 103695330, mjo, SAT0035554; identified as Paspalum setaceum by M.J. Oldham, ! (and var. muhlenbergii det.) A.A. Reznicek 1983; grassy edge of roadside ditch (S side of road); scattered clumps

Or another related taxon, a disjunct or possibly even an undescribed endemic to the great lakes according to Johnson (2016; i.e., "included is an uncommon small early-blooming variation (or separate species?) that is widely scattered at open bedrock barren sites (sometimes moist), including alvars. This begins to bloom in early to mid June, much earlier than any other Epilobium. The author feels that the possibility that this is E. leptocarpum or an unrecognized Great Lakes endemic species similar to it, has not been excluded. It is now generally subsumed under E.ciliatum. Krotkov claimed to have found E. leptocarpum at two locations, but the habitat was different from that stated above.
Average (5 years) first flowering of tiny unrecognized early “alvar” Epilobium June 12, earliest May 29 (northwards).

Observation made on a semi-disturbed wet alvar/marsh inclusion within a white cedar/pine conifer forest.

Likely the same taxon as these observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/164998830
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70813947
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121679331
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165088930
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92792973
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81515913
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/71611109
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28734529
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28734498

Same location as this observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/166670752

@wdvanhem

Credit to @wdvanhem for spotting this anomaly in a previous observation (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25495428). After revisiting the immediate area, most plants appear to be L. acuminata ssp. acuminata, but this seems to have potential for L. acuminata ssp. carolinae. Possibly more plants in the vicinity (only checked where the previous observation was).

Per FNA:
1 Inflorescences simple, with occasional branch from near base of flower 2a var. acuminata

• Inflorescences usually branching, with pedicels commonly paired 2b var. carolinae

Ebinger (1962) article and Weakley (2022) mention other traits relating to apical appendage of seeds (see second last photo). The collected plant has 11 primary pedicels, 4 with secondary pedicels, but this was the "most branched" specimen I could find (secondary to primary ratio of 0.36). At about 1mm in length on three immature seeds viewed, these would be at the upper limit for var. carolinae and well-within the range for acuminata.