| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to tree
Leaves generally cauline, generally simple, generally alternate, petioled or not; stipules 0
Inflorescence: panicle, raceme, spike, or flowers solitary in axils, generally open; bracts leaf-like or not
Flower: bisexual, radial or bilateral, sometimes inverted (pedicel twisted 180°; hypanthium generally present, ± fused to ovary; sepals generally 5; corolla radial to 2-lipped, generally fused (tube sometimes split down back), lobes generally 5; stamens 5, free or ± fused (anthers and filaments fused into tube or filaments fused above middle); ovary inferior, sometimes half inferior, chambers 1–3, placentas axile or parietal, ovules many, style generally 1, 2–5-branched
Fruit: generally capsule, dehiscing on sides or at tip by pores or short valves
Seeds many
Genera in family: ± 70 genera, ± 2000 species: worldwide. Some cultivated for ornamental (Campanula, Jasione, Lobelia ). Subfamilies sometimes treated as different families.
Annual; roots fibrous
Stems erect or spreading, simple or branched at base or below middle
Leaves basal; petiole short or 0
Inflorescence ± raceme-like; bract 1 per flower, small; pedicel generally thread-like
Flower inverted; sepals linear to triangular; corolla nearly radial and 5-lobed or 2-lipped (upper lip 3-lobed, lower lip 2-lobed); filaments free at base, fused into tube above, sometimes appendaged at tube base, anthers free, all alike; ovary generally half-inferior in fruit, sometimes 0, hemispheric to obconic, sometimes glandular, stigma 2-lobed, papillate
Fruit generally > hypanthium, hemispheric to fusiform; tip pointed or rounded, dehiscing at tip by 2 valves; chambers 2
Seed elliptic to oblong
Species in genus: 13 species: sw US, nw Mex
Etymology: (Greek: thread-like branch)
Reference: [McVaugh 1942 N Amer Flora 32A: 1–134]
| Native |
Stems erect, 5–20 cm; base shiny, silver-gray
Leaf 5–20 mm, elliptic to oblanceolate, narrowed abruptly to winged petiole, entire, toothed, or ± pinnately lobed, glabrous or coarsely hairy
Inflorescence: axis weakly zigzag; bracts 1–2.5 mm, widely lanceolate; pedicels 8–15 mm, 0.1–0.2 mm diam, horizontal to ascending, slightly S-curved, tip slightly curved or not
Flower: hypanthium 0.2–0.3 mm; sepals ± 1 mm, elliptic to deltate, erect; corolla 1.5–2 mm, divided > 1/2 length, yellow with purple or brown marks, upper lobes reflexed, slightly ciliate, lower lobes erect, purple-tipped, densely ciliate; filament tube 2–3 mm, straight or tip slightly curved, anthers 0.6 mm; ovary 1/4–1/2 inferior
Fruit 2–2.5 mm, ± bell-shaped (base narrowed, tip rounded)
Seed 0.4 mm, widely elliptic; surface with wavy ridges alternating with weakly pitted rows
Ecology: Dry, sandy or gravelly soils
Elevation: < 1600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Peninsular Ranges (e slope), East of Sierra Nevada, Desert
Distribution outside California: Nevada, Arizona, Baja California
Flowering time: Apr–May
Plants from PR (e slope) & D, with narrow, deeply toothed leaves, filament appendage stalks >> processes have been called var. tenuis McVaugh.