| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information) |
|
|
©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, biennial, perennial herb, rarely dioecious, taprooted or rhizome generally slender
Leaves simple, generally opposite; stipules generally 0; petiole generally 0; blade entire, sheath generally 0
Inflorescence: cyme, generally open; flowers few–many or flower solitary and axillary; involucre generally 0
Flower generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium sometimes present; sepals generally 5, ± free or fused into a tube, tube generally herbaceous between lobes or teeth; awns generally 0; petals generally 5 or 0, generally tapered to base (or with claw long, blade expanded), entire to 2–several-lobed, blade generally without scale-like appendages (inner surface), generally without ear-like lobes at base; stamens generally 10, generally fertile, generally free, generally from ovary base; nectaries generally 0; ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, placentas basal or free-central, styles 2–5 or 1 and 2–3-branched
Fruit: capsule or utricle (rarely modified, dehiscent), generally sessile
Seeds: appendage generally 0
Genera in family: 85 genera, 2400 species: widespread, especially arctic, alpine, temp, n hemisphere; some cultivated (Agrostemma, Arenaria, Cerastium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis, Saponaria, Silene, Vaccaria ).
Annual, ascending to erect, taprooted
Leaves appearing whorled (axillary clusters of 8–15, ± unequal); stipules 1–2 mm, ovate to triangular, scarious, entire, white; blade ± linear; vein 1
Inflorescence: cyme, terminal, several–many-flowered; pedicels 40+ mm
Flower: sepals 5, free, 2.5–6 mm, elliptic to ± ovate, glandular-hairy; petals 5, 2.5–4 mm, entire; stamens 5 or 10; styles 5, 0.3–0.7 mm
Fruit: capsule, ovoid; valves 5, spreading to ± recurved
Seeds several, blackish
Species in genus: 5 species: temp Eurasia
Etymology: (Latin: to scatter, from sowing seeds for early forage in Eur)
| Introduced |
Plant glabrous or generally glandular-hairy
Stem 10–40 cm or >; base ± branched
Leaf 1–5 cm, ± linear; tip blunt to abruptly pointed; margin often rolled under, giving cylindric appearance
Inflorescence: bracts like stipules, often purplish; pedicels erect to ascending, in fruit spreading to reflexed
Flower: sepals ± acute to rounded, margin widely scarious, ribs often 3, weak; petals ovate, persistent in fruit
Seed 1–1.5 mm diam, ± spheric, with whitish, club-shaped papillae or minutely roughened
Chromosomes: 2n=18,36
Ecology: Open slopes, pine woods, sand dunes, fields, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 200 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, Outer South Coast Ranges, South Coast
Distribution outside California: native to Europe