Apteria aphylla (Nutt.) Barnhart ex Small

Nodding Nixie

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Nodding Nixie is a native herbaceous perennial in the Burmannia family (Burmanniaceae). It can be found in the southern third of Alabama. Nodding Nixie lacks chlorophyll and is a mycotrophic species, a vascular plant obtaining nutrients through a symbiotic association with fungi. It occurs in deep, moist decomposing hardwood leaf litter in seeps, bog, and along small streams. Nodding Nixie is a perennial from rhizomes with filiform roots. Plants are visible above ground only when in flower. Flowering stems are erect, usually unbranched, often contorted, purple or pale lavender to white in color, with alternate leaves reduced to small purple scales. Flowers are terminal and solitary or in 2-6 flowered cymes. The flowers are erect or nodding, purple or white with purple stripes, tubular, with 6 perianth lobes. The 3 outer perianth lobes are larger than the 3 inner lobes. The fruit is a capsule. Nodding Nixie is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and globally as an G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).—A. Diamond

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Native FACW (NWPL) FACW (DEP) S2 (State Rank) G4 (Global Rank)

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