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, 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 12 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 14, 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 16:96112]
Family description, key to genera by Timothy C. Messick.
Annual, perennial herb, subshrub, variously hairy, ± taprooted; rhizome generally 0
Stem spreading to prostrate
Leaves cauline, alternate, generally clustered, evergreen, petioled; margin rolled under, entire or ± crenate
Inflorescence ± axillary; flowers solitary or clustered, sessile
Flower: calyx ± deeply 5-lobed, not enlarging in fruit; corolla 5-lobed, generally ± funnel-shaped, tube yellow when young, appendages 0; style branches 2
Fruit: nutlets 14, sometimes ± tubercled
Species in genus: 27 species: w hemisphere deserts
Etymology: (native South America. name for flower)
Reference: [Richardson 1977 Rhodora 79:467572]
Separated from Coldenia of e hemisphere.
Native |
Perennial, ± woody; bark white
Stem: branches opposite; hairs ± shaggy
Leaves clustered, grayish strigose; blade 3.511 mm, ovate to round, margin ± crenate, veins 23 pairs, shallowly sunken, ± 45° from midvein
Inflorescence bracted; flowers clustered
Flower: calyx 23.5 mm, free ± 1/2 length, hairs within short or 0; corolla 59 mm, 45 mm wide, blue, purple, or lavender; style > calyx, branched 1/2 from tip
Fruit deeply 4-lobed
Seed spheric, smooth, shiny
Chromosomes: n=8,9
Ecology: Sandy gravel soils
Elevation: < 900 m.
Bioregional distribution: Desert (especially w edge Sonoran Desert and near Colorado River)
Distribution outside California: sw Nevada, w Arizona, n Mexico
Flowering time: AprJun
Synonyms: Coldenia p. A. Gray