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ACANTHACEAE

ACANTHUS FAMILY

Lawrence R. Heckard

Annual, perennial herb, shrubs
Leaves simple, generally opposite; stipules 0
Inflorescence: cyme, spike, or raceme, bracted
Flower bisexual; calyx deeply (3)4–5 lobed; corolla 4–5 lobed, nearly radial to 2-lipped; stamens (2)4, epipetalous, anther sacs sometimes dissimilar in size or placement; ovary superior, chambers 2, ovules 4–many, placentas axile, style long, stigmas 1–2
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal, generally dehiscing explosively
Seeds generally 2 per chamber, ejected by specialized hook-like stalks
Genera in family: 250 genera, 3000 species: especially tropical; some ornamental: Justicia (Beloperone, shrimp-plant), Acanthus , Thunbergia. [Daniel 1984 Desert Plants 5:162–179]

CARLOWRIGHTIA

Subshrub, shrub
Inflorescence generally spike- or panicle-like
Flower: calyx 5-lobed; corolla appearing 4-lobed, tube < lobes, slender, barely wider at throat, uppermost lobe generally notched (actually 2 lobes ± entirely fused), 2 lateral lobes ascending or reflexed, lowest lobe ± keeled, containing anthers and style; stamens 2, anther sacs ± equally inserted on filament, opening toward uppermost lobe, not spurred
Fruit compressed-ovoid, on flattened stalk
Seeds 4, disk-like, notched at base
Species in genus: 23 species: especially sw US, Mex
Etymology: (Charles Wright 1811–85, Am botanical collector)
Reference: [Daniel 1988 Brittonia 40:245–255]

Native

C. arizonica A. Gray

ARIZONA CARLOWRIGHTIA


Stem multi-branched, < 1 m, puberulent; hairs erect or recurved
Leaves variable in size and shape; blade generally < 5 cm, lanceolate to elliptic, sometimes cordate, puberulent; petiole 0–8 mm
Inflorescence: spike; flowers 1–several per bract
Flower: calyx 1.5–5 mm, lobes narrow-triangular; corolla 10–18 mm, white with yellow, maroon-streaked eye on upper lip
Fruit 7–11 mm, glabrous
Seed 3–4 mm, tubercled; margin finely dentate
Chromosomes: 2n=18
Ecology: Rocky slopes
Elevation: ± 300 m.
Bioregional distribution: w Sonoran Desert (Palm Canyon, Borrego Springs)
Distribution outside California: to Texas, C.America

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