| 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, perennial herb, generally scapose
Leaves generally basal, simple, with longitudinal ribs; stipules 0
Inflorescence: spike, generally terminal, generally dense; flowers few–many, each subtended by 1 bract
Flower unisexual or bisexual, generally radial; calyx deeply 4-lobed, lobes generally overlapping, persistent, margin mostly scarious; corolla salverform or cylindric, lobes 4, spreading to erect, scarious, persistent, colorless; stamens 2–4, alternate corolla lobes, epipetalous; ovary superior, 2–4-chambered, ovules several per chamber, style 1, stigma long, hairy
Genera in family: 3 genera, ± 270 species: worldwide, especially temp; some weedy, some (especially P. afra , psyllium) cultivated for laxative
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated to include Callitrichaceae, and most non-parasitic CA genera of Scrophulariaceae (but not Mimulus, Scrophularia, Verbascum); = Veronicaceae sensu Olmstead et al. [Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 1998 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 85:531–553; Olmstead et al. 2001 Mol Phylog Evol 16:96–112]
Annual, perennial herb
Stem decumbent to erect
Flower generally bisexual; corolla radial, sometimes bilateral
Fruit: capsule, circumscissile ± at or below middle
Seeds 2–many, gelatinous when wet
Species in genus: ± 250 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Latin: sole of foot)
| Introduced |
Perennial (rarely annual), generally glabrous except peduncle; caudex short, with fibrous roots
Leaf blade 5–18 cm, widely elliptic to somewhat cordate, narrowed ± abruptly to petiole; margin entire or ± finely dentate, rough to touch
Inflorescences generally 3–7, 5–60 cm including peduncle; spike generally 3–20 cm, linear-cylindric, becoming ± loose; bract ± = sepals, ovate, not exserted
Flower: corolla lobes 0.5 mm, spreading, ovate-lanceolate; stamens 4
Seeds 5–16, < 1 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=6,12,24
Ecology: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 2200 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Sierra Nevada), Great Basin Floristic Province, Desert Mountains (uncommon)
Distribution outside California: to e US; native to Europe
Flowering time: Apr–Sep
Highly variable; named vars. (including pilgeri Domin & scopulorum Fr. & S.P. Broberg) indistinct.