| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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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, perennial herb, shrubs, trees
Stem angled or cylindric
Leaves simple, entire, generally opposite, sometimes alternate or whorled
Inflorescence: raceme, spike, or panicle, terminal, or axillary clusters with 1–several flowers
Flower bisexual, generally radial; hypanthium cylindric to bell-shaped, generally membranous, persistent in fruit; sepals 4–6, generally persistent, appendages 3–5 or 0, alternate sepals; petals, stamens inserted on inner hypanthium; petals 4–6 or 0, alternate sepals, deciduous; stamens generally = or 2 X petals, included or exserted; ovary superior, chambers 2–6, style generally slender, stigma head-like
Fruit: capsule, opening by valves from top, splitting sometimes irregular or 0
Seeds 3–many
Genera in family: ± 25 genera, 450 species: temp, tropical, generally in wet habitats. Some ornamental or cultivated for medicine, dyes
Reference: [Graham 1964 J Arnold Arbor 45:235–250]
Annual
Stem prostrate to erect, glabrous
Leaves opposite, 4-ranked, sessile, linear to oblanceolate, generally with basal ear-like lobes
Inflorescence: cluster, axillary; flowers 3–10; bractlets 2, inconspicuous
Flower radial; hypanthium bell- to urn-shaped, ± spheric in fruit; sepals 4, appendages < or ± = sepals, thick, horn-like; petals (0)4; stamens 4(8), included or exserted
Fruit ± spheric, irregularly dehiscent
Seeds many, ± 1 mm
Species in genus: ± 25 species: temp, tropical
Etymology: (Paul Ammann, Germany, 1634–1691)
Reference: [Howell 1985 Wasmann J Biol 43:72–74]
| Native |
Stem decumbent to erect, 1–10 dm, solitary or branched
Leaf 1.5–8 cm, 5–15 mm wide, generally linear-lanceolate
Inflorescence compact; flowers 1–3(5), sessile
Flower: hypanthium urn-shaped, often 4-ridged; appendages ± = sepals in fruit; petals 3–4(8) mm, obovate, pale lavender; stamens 4(5–12), exserted in flower, anthers pale yellow
Fruit 4–6 mm diam
Chromosomes: n=17
Ecology: Wet places, drying pond and ditch margins
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast Ranges, s Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, Central Western California, South Coast, s Channel Islands (Santa Catalina Island), Sonoran Desert
Distribution outside California: to c US, Mexico
Flowering time: Jun–Aug
Synonyms: A. coccinea Rottb. misapplied