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Jepson Interchange (more information)
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CAPPARACEAE

CAPER FAMILY

Staria S. Vanderpool

Annual, shrub, tree, ill-smelling
Leaves generally 1-palmate, generally alternate, generally petioled; stipules generally minute, often bristle-like or hairy; leaflets 3–7
Inflorescence: raceme, head, or flowers solitary, generally longer in fruit; bracts generally 3-parted below, simple above, or 0
Flower generally bisexual, radial to ± bilateral; sepals generally 4, free or fused, generally persistent; petals generally 4, free, ± clawed; stamens generally 6, free, exserted, anthers generally coiling at dehiscence; ovary superior, generally on stalk-like receptacle, chamber generally 1, placentas generally 2, parietal, style 1, persistent, stigma generally minute, ± head-like
Fruit: generally capsule, septicidal; valves generally 2, deciduous, leaving septum (frame-like placentas) behind; pedicel generally ± reflexed to spreading
Genera in family: 45 genera, 800 species: widespread tropical to arid temp; some cultivated (Capparis spinosa , caper bush)
Reference: [Ernst 1963 J Arnold Arbor 44:81–93]
CA members placed in subfamily Cleomoideae. Alternate family name: Capparidaceae.

CLEOMELLA

Annual, generally glabrous
Stem generally ascending to erect, generally branched from base, often red-tinged
Leaves generally many; petiole generally 7–20 mm; leaflets generally 3
Inflorescence: raceme, ± terminal; flowers solitary in leaf axils, or both; pedicel generally 4–25 mm
Flower radial to bilateral; parts generally yellow; sepals fused in basal third, generally entire; petals ± sessile, upper 2 often recurved
Fruit: capsule, often wider than long; septum elliptic to round; receptacle stalk-like
Seeds < 10
Species in genus: ± 10 species: arid w North America
Etymology: (Diminutive of Cleome)
Reference: [Payson 1922 Univ Wyoming Publ Sci Bot 1:29–46]
C. hillmanii Nelson, known from near Reno, NV; may be found in adjacent CA.

Native

C. parviflora A. Gray

Plant glabrous
Stem 3–45 cm, smooth
Leaves few; leaflets 5–35 mm, linear-elliptic, ± fleshy
Inflorescence: raceme, 0.5–30 cm, terminal; flowers sometimes also solitary in leaf axils
Flower: sepals 0.5–1 mm, lanceolate; petals 1.8–2.2 mm, pale yellow; stamens 1.9–2.5 mm, anthers 0.4–0.5 mm; style < 0.2 mm, stigma 2-lobed, 0.3 mm, purple
Fruit 3–4 mm; valves slightly conic; receptacle 0.3–0.8 mm, spreading to ascending
Ecology: Wet, alkaline meadows about thermal springs in sagebrush desert
Elevation: 1200–2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Basin Floristic Province, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: w Nevada
Flowering time: May–Aug
Often occurs with C. brevipes , C. plocasperma.

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bioregional map for CLEOMELLA%20parviflora being generated
 


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