The Jepson Herbarium
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Annual, from taproot; rosette generally ± 0.
Leaf: cauline, alternate, simple, generally linear to narrowly elliptic.
Inflorescence: bracted; spike, nodding in bud, flower only at distal nodes.
Flower: radial, generally opening at dawn; sepals 4, reflexed singly or in pairs; petals 4, yellow, generally fading red, often with red basal spots; stamens 8, longer ones opposite sepals, anthers attached at middle, pollen grains 3-angled except in polyploid taxa, at 20×; ovary chambers 4, stigma hemispheric, generally > anthers and cross-pollinated, or ± = anthers and self-pollinated.
Fruit: ± cylindric, straight to wavy, distorted by seeds at maturity, dehiscent throughout most of its length, generally sessile.
Seed: in 1 row per chamber, narrowly obovoid, smooth (minutely pitted), glossy.
12 species: w North America (especially CA-FP), 1 South America. (L.A. von Chamisso, French-born German botanist, 1781–1838) [Wagner et al. 2007 Syst Bot Monogr 83:1–240] Polyploidy and self-pollination have predominated in evolution of genus. Not monophyletic as treated in TJM (1993); segregates moved to Camissoniopsis, Chylismia, Chylismiella, Eremothera, Eulobus, Neoholmgrenia, Taraxia, Tetrapteron (Wagner et al. 2007).
Unabridged references: [Raven 1969 Contr US Natl Herb 37:161–396]

Key to Camissonia

1. Sepals all separating when flower opens

2. Petals 8–18 mm; sepals 5–11 mm; stigma exceeding anthers ..... C. kernensis

3. Plant ± open, sparsely spreading-hairy, sparsely glandular-hairy; leaves not clustered at base; pedicel 0–5 mm ..... subsp. gilmanii

3' Plant compact, densely spreading-hairy, sparsely glandular-hairy; leaves clustered at base; pedicel 3–15 mm ..... subsp. kernensis

2' Petals 1.8–4 mm; sepals <= 3.8 mm; stigma surrounded by anthers

4. Lf ± entire; plant ± glabrous or minutely strigose, generally sparsely glandular-hairy, rarely sparsely spreading-nonglandular-hairy ..... C. parvula

4' Lf serrate or minutely so; plant hairs generally spreading, some glandular

5. Hypanthium 1.3–3 mm; sepals 2.2–3.8 mm; fruit (18)26–50 mm ..... C. pubens

5' Hypanthium 0.8–1.6 mm; sepals 1.2–2 mm; fruit 18–32 mm ..... C. pusilla

1' Sepals generally remaining fused in pairs when flower opens

6. Stigma exceeding anthers; sepals 3–8(12) mm; petals (3.5)5–15 mm

7. Lf lanceolate to narrowly ovate or elliptic, ± entire; sepals < 4.2 mm ..... C. sierrae subsp. sierrae (2)

7' Lf linear to narrow-elliptic or -oblanceolate, minutely to coarsely serrate; sepals 3–8(12) mm ..... C. campestris

8. St generally erect; leaf minutely serrate ..... subsp. campestris

8' St generally decumbent; leaf coarsely serrate ..... subsp. obispoensis

6' Stigma generally surrounded by anthers; sepals 1.2–4(5.5) mm; petals 2–7 mm

9. Lf entire (teeth 1–2, small) ..... C. integrifolia

9' Lf generally minutely serrate (Camissonia sierrae occasionally with only several small teeth)

10. Lf lanceolate to narrowly ovate or elliptic, base obtuse or rounded ..... C. sierrae

11. Sepals 1.2–3 mm; petal base without red dots; style 2.8–5 mm ..... subsp. alticola

11' Sepals 3–4.2 mm; petal base with 2 red dots; style 4.5–7 mm ..... subsp. sierrae (2)

10' Lf linear to narrowly elliptic, base acute or long-tapered

12. Plant minutely strigose, or some hairs spreading and glandular, or occasionally coarsely spreading and nonglandular toward base; < 10% of pollen grains 4-angled ..... C. strigulosa

12' Plant hairs spreading, generally fine (coarse in Camissonia contorta), often glandular in inflorescence; < 10% or > 30% of pollen grains 4-angled

13. Sepals (3)3.8–5.5 mm; petals (4)4.5–7 mm ..... C. lacustris

13' Sepals 1.6–4 mm; petals 2–4(5) mm

14. Lf not (or slightly) blue-green; hypanthium ± 1.2 mm; plant nonglandular hairs of 2 types (linear, white; rod-shaped, transparent); < 10% of pollen grains 4-angled; SCoRI ..... C. benitensis

14' Lf generally blue-green; hypanthium 1.2–2.3 mm; plant nonglandular hairs of 1 type (rod-shaped, transparent); generally > 30% of pollen grains 4-angled; widespread ..... C. contorta

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].
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