Myosurus
Encyclopedia
The genus Myosurus, or Mousetail, belongs to the buttercup family
(Ranunculaceae). It comprises about 15 species of annual scapose herbs. These herbs are nearly cosmopolitan
(lacking in eastern Asia
and tropical regions), with a center of diversity in western North America
.
Selected species:
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Ranunculaceae). It comprises about 15 species of annual scapose herbs. These herbs are nearly cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...
(lacking in eastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and tropical regions), with a center of diversity in western North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Selected species:
- Myosurus apetalusMyosurus apetalusMyosurus apetalus is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name bristly mousetail. It is native to much of western North America, as well as Chile. It grows in moist and wet habitat, such as marshes, meadows, and vernal pools. It is an annual plant forming a small...
- bristly mousetail - Myosurus cupulatusMyosurus cupulatusMyosurus cupulatus is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Arizona mousetail. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in moist and dry habitat types in desert, scrub, and woodland. It is an annual plant forming a...
- Arizona mousetail - Myosurus minimusMyosurus minimusMyosurus minimus is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name tiny mousetail. It is native to much of the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. It generally grows in moist habitat types, such as riverbanks and wet...
- tiny mousetail - Myosurus nitidus - western mousetail
- Myosurus sessilisMyosurus sessilisMyosurus sessilis is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name vernal pool mousetail. It is native to southern Oregon and the Central Valley of California, where it grows in vernal pools and other wet grassland habitat. It is an annual plant forming a small tuft...
- vernal pool mousetail