August 19,
Myles Standish State Forest, Plymouth
In a way, pipeworts are "Asteraceae" within monocots: their compact heads consist of multiple miniature florets (flowers) and are surrounded by leafy bracts--much like composite flower heads. The florets are either pistillate or staminate. Pipeworts are monoecious: each head contains both types. They are insect-pollinated and attract their pollinators by producing nectar through corolla glands, which look like tiny dark spots.
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