Key to Collinsia

View taxon page for Collinsia

(For a list of species in Collinsia, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Corolla ± uniformly dark purple; base of each upper 

lobe 

1. A major expansion or bulge, such as on the margin of a leaf, sepal, or petal, or on the surface of an ovary. 2. The free tips of otherwise fused structures, such as sepals or petals; larger than teeth.

with 2 crested projections bulging > 1 mm away from throat opening ..... C. greenei

1' Corolla uniformly pale, or with pale regions, especially throat and base of upper lip; base of each upper lobe with projection 0 or bulging away < 1 mm away from throat opening

2. Flower whorls dense; proximal 

pedicels 

Stalk of an individual flower in an inflorescence, or the corresponding structure in fruit.

< calyx

3. Upper filaments with curved 

basal 

At or near the base of a plant or plant part. Especially said of leaves clustered near the ground or of a placenta confined to the base of an ovary.

 spur 1–2 mm, curved into pouch; corolla throat as wide as long ..... C. heterophylla

4. Corolla 10–15 mm, upper lip < lower lip; 

leaf 

Organ arising from a stem, generally composed of a stalk (petiole) and a flat, expanded, green, photosynthetic area (blade); distinguished from a leaflet by the presence in its axil of a bud, branch, thorn, or flower; sometimes with lateral, basal appendages (stipules); either simple (toothed, lobed, or dissected but not divided into leaflets) or compound (divided into leaflets).

(sparsely) hairy abaxially ..... var. austromontana

4' Corolla (13)15–20 mm, lips ± equal; leaf glabrous abaxially (at most 

ciliate 

Having generally straight, conspicuous hairs along margins or edges.

on midvein) ..... var. heterophylla

3' Filaments ± unspurred or spur <= 0.5 mm (except 0.8 mm in Collinsia tinctoria); corolla throat longer than wide

5. Upper corolla lip <= 2/3 lower lip

6. Upper lip 1/2 to 2/3 lower lip; corolla 8–12 mm – leaf glabrous abaxially; c SNH ..... C. bartsiifolia var. stricta

6' Upper lip < 1/2 lower lip; corolla 12–22 mm

7. Leaf glabrous abaxially; inflorescence ± head-like; corolla upper 

lobes 

1. A major expansion or bulge, such as on the margin of a leaf, sepal, or petal, or on the surface of an ovary. 2. The free tips of otherwise fused structures, such as sepals or petals; larger than teeth.

± 1 mm, dry, ± brown, lateral lobes glabrous, throat barely angled to tube, pouch low; inflorescence sparsely and finely glandular; NCo ..... C. corymbosa

7' Leaf hairy abaxially; inflorescence generally of several whorls; corolla upper lobes >> 1 mm, red-banded, lateral lobes generally hairy, throat strongly angled to tube, pouch prominent; inflorescence densely glandular, staining; widespread ..... C. tinctoria

5' Corolla lips ± = in fully open flowers

8. Corolla blue to blue-purple, not drying veiny, upper lobes notched, lateral lobes and tip of lowest lobe generally hairy; leaves thin, 

entire 

Having margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).

to toothed; SCo (Riverside Co.), PR ..... C. concolor

8' Corolla generally white to ± purple, generally drying veiny, upper lobes ± toothed (backs often touching or parallel); leaves ± thick, 

crenate 

Pertaining to margins with shallow, rounded teeth, between which are usually acute sinuses (i.e., scalloped)

; widespread ..... C. bartsiifolia (in part)

9. Corolla 15–20 mm ..... var. bartsiifolia

9' Corolla 9–14 mm ..... var. davidsonii

2' Flowers 1 to loosely 

whorled 

Arranged in groups of three or more at nodes or positions along an axis (e.g., three leaves per node).

; proximal pedicels > calyx

10. Leaves generally ± lance-deltate, generally coarsely toothed; proximal-most pedicels >> calyx, distal pedicels ± = calyx – n&c CCo, SnFrB (San Mateo Co.) ..... C. multicolor

10' Leaves 

linear 

Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.

to 

ovate 

Egg-shaped (i.e., widest below the middle) in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane), as a leaf.

or 

oblong 

Longer than wide, with nearly parallel sides; wider than linear.

, generally entire, crenate, or finely toothed; all pedicels ± equal

11. Inner face of calyx lobes white-hairy – plants on white shale scree ..... C. antonina

11' Inner face of calyx lobes not hairy

12. Calyx lobe tips sharp to long-tapered

13. Upper filaments, middle lower corolla lobe glabrous; calyx ± = fruit, lobes not widely 

spreading 

Oriented more or less perpendicularly to the axis of attachment; often, more or less horizontal.

; seeds plump, oblong, unwinged

14. Corolla 8–15 mm, main lobes generally 2–6 mm wide, obovate, throat strongly angled to tube ..... C. grandiflora

14' Corolla 4–8 mm, main lobes ± 1 mm wide, oblong, throat barely angled to tube ..... C. parviflora

13' Upper filaments, middle lower corolla lobe sparsely long-hairy near tip; calyx generally >> fruit, lobes widely spreading in fruit; seeds flat, ± round, ± winged – fruit generally red-blotched ..... C. sparsiflora

15. Corolla 5–8 mm, throat barely angled to tube, pouch hidden by calyx ..... var. collina

15' Corolla 7–20 mm, throat strongly angled to tube, pouch generally evident to prominent ..... var. sparsiflora

12' Calyx lobe tips ± blunt

16. Inflorescence ± glandless ..... C. parryi

16' Inflorescence conspicuously glandular

17. Pedicels spreading to 

ascending 

Curving or angling upward from base, or about 30-60 degrees less than vertical or away from axis of attachment.

in fruit; distal-most bracts > 2 mm

18. Middle and distal leaves oblong to ovate to (ob)lanceolate, generally < 6 × longer than wide

19. Plant fleshy; distal leaves clasping; seeds 6–8, ± 2 mm; calyx ± = fruit ..... C. callosa

19' Plant not fleshy; distal leaf bases 

tapered 

Gradually (not abruptly) narrower or smaller at base or tip.

; seeds 2, ± 3 mm; calyx > fruit ..... C. childii

18' Middle and distal leaves ± linear, generally > 6 × longer than wide

20. Corolla generally 8–12(15) mm, >> 2 × calyx, throat strongly angled to tube, pouch prominent ..... C. linearis

20' Corolla 4–8 mm, generally < 2 × calyx, throat barely angled to tube, pouch ± hidden by calyx ..... C. rattanii

17' Some pedicels strongly 

reflexed 

Abruptly bent or curved downward or backward.

in fruit; distal-most bracts 0–2 mm ..... C. torreyi

21. Lateral corolla lobes exceeding lowest by 1–2 mm

22. Corolla generally 6–9 mm ..... var. brevicarinata

22' Corolla generally 4–6 mm ..... var. wrightii

21' Lateral corolla lobes exceeding lowest by << 1 mm, or not exceeding it

23. Leaves 

elliptic 

In the shape of a flattened circle or ellipse; wider than linear

to ovate, generally 2–5 × longer than wide ..... var. latifolia

23' Leaves ± linear; generally > 6 × longer than wide ..... var. torreyi

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