| 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 |
Annual, biennial, finely long-hairy
Leaf 2–12 cm, widely oblanceolate or obovate, tapered gradually to petiole, entire or slightly toothed
Inflorescences 1–many, 3–33 cm including peduncle; spike 1–14 cm, dense, becoming loose below; bract ± = sepals, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, not exserted
Flower: corolla lobes 2–3 mm, curved upward in pistillate flowers (spreading in staminate flowers), lanceolate, tips acute; stamens 4
Seeds 2, 1.5–2 mm, pale brown
Chromosomes: 2n=24
Ecology: Disturbed places
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range Foothills (Shasta Co.), South Coast
Distribution outside California: native to c&e U.S
Plants with seeds 2.5–3 mm and red-brown have been called P. rhodosperma Decne.