False Mermaid-Weed
Floerkea proserpinacoides
Limnanthaceae
Growth Habit
HerbaceousPropagation
Seed Treatment and Storage: Needs warm/moist, then cold/moist stratification. Will germinate on return to warmth.
Biocultural Value
False mermaid weed greens are tender with a pleasant pungent flavor that lends itself to nibbling or use in salads. However, the plant is so inconspicuous and short-lived that it is not commonly collected.
Wildlife Value
The tiny, inconspicuous flowers can attract flower flies and small bees. The foliage may be consumed by mammalian herbivores, but little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this species.
Location
Mundy Wildflower GardenCultivation
A 1-6" ephemeral annual with a tiny white to pink flower.
Light: part shade to shade
Moisture and Soil: rich, moist woodland soil
Special characteristics
This is the only representative of its family in eastern North America. It is unusual to find this species in the Finger Lakes, but it happens to be abundant in the Mundy Wildflower Garden flood plain. False mermaid weClimate Change Sensitivity
Over the period from 1986 to 2015, Floerkea proserpinacoides bloomed an average of 8.6 days earlier.Status
L2|S5|G5
