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BORAGINACEAE

BORAGE FAMILY

Annual, perennial herb, shrubs, generally bristly or sharply hairy
Stem prostrate to erect
Leaves cauline, often with basal rosette, generally simple, alternate; lower sometimes opposite, entire
Inflorescence: cyme, generally elongate, panicle-, raceme- or spike-like, coiled in flower, generally uncoiled in fruit or flowers 1–2 per axil
Flowers generally bisexual, generally radial; sepals 5, free or fused in lower half; corolla 5-lobed, generally salverform, top of tube generally appendaged, appendages 5, alternating with stamens, sometimes arching over tube; stamens 5, epipetalous; ovary superior, generally 4-lobed, style generally entire
Fruit: nutlets 1–4, smooth to variously roughened, sometimes prickly or bristled
Genera in family: ± 100 genera, ± 2000 species: tropical, temp, especially w North America, Medit; some cultivated (Borago, Echium, Myosotis, Symphytum ). Almost all genera may be TOXIC from alkaloids or accumulated nitrates
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Hydrophyllaceae [Olmsted et al. 2000 Mol Phylog Evol 16:96–112]
Family description, key to genera by Timothy C. Messick.

AMSINCKIA

FIDDLENECK

Fred R. Ganders

Annual; hairs generally bristly, often with bulbous bases
Stem generally erect, 2–12 dm, generally green
Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, sessile or lower short-petioled, generally linear to narrowly lanceolate or oblong, generally ± entire
Inflorescence spike-like, generally ± terminal; tip coiled
Flower generally radial; calyx lobes 5, sometimes appearing to be 2–4 from fusion; corolla orange or yellow, limb generally with 5 red-orange marks
Fruit: nutlets erect, ± triangular, generally with oval lateral scar, generally with round or sharp tubercles
Species in genus: 10 species: w North America, sw South America, widely alien elsewhere
Etymology: (W. Amsinck, patron of Hamburg Botanic Garden, early 19th century)
Reference: [Ray & Chisaki 1957 Amer J Bot 44:529–554]
Self-compatible; often heterostylous; large-flowered taxa generally cross-pollinated, small-flowered self-pollinated. Seeds and herbage TOXIC to livestock (especially cattle) from alkaloids and high nitrate concentrations. Sharp plant hairs irritate human skin.

Native

A. vernicosa Hook. & Arn.


Stem (except inflorescence) generally ± glabrous, glaucous, ± pink below
Leaf glaucous
Flower: calyx lobes 2–4; corolla 8–22 mm, 2–14 mm wide at top, yellow or orange, tube 20-veined near base
Fruit 3.5–6 mm; surface smooth, shiny, with a longitudinal groove, scar not obvious
Ecology: Uncommon. Loose, shaly slopes
Elevation: 50–1400 m.
Bioregional distribution: s Sierra Nevada Foothills, w San Joaquin Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, South Coast Ranges, Mojave Desert ;.Varieties sometimes intergrade.

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