| 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 1–2 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 1–4, 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 16:96–112]
Family description, key to genera by Timothy C. Messick.
Annual, perennial herb, shrubs, bristly to strigose
Leaves basal and cauline, linear to lanceolate, entire
Inflorescence: panicle, terminal; branches 3–many, ± spike-like
Flower radial to ± bilateral; calyx deeply lobed; corolla throat straight or slightly curved, lobes equal or unequal; stamens inserted below mid-tube, included or exserted; style exserted
Fruit: nutlet erect, short, ovoid, 3-angled, scar flat
Species in genus: 40 species: s Eurasia, Africa. Cult for ornamental
Etymology: (Greek: viper, from nutlet shape, which resembles viper's head)
Reference: [Bramwell 1972 Lagascalia 2:37–115]
| Introduced |
Shrub 1–3 m
Leaf persistent, 6–20 cm, narrowly elliptic, densely strigose
Inflorescence 3–4 dm; branches many, spreading
Flower ± radial; calyx 3–5 mm; corolla 5–9 mm, blue to violet; stamens all exserted
Fruit: nutlets rough, fine-tubercled
Ecology: Open, dry slopes and bluffs
Elevation: < 300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, South Coast
Distribution outside California: native to Madeira, Canary Islands
Several species cultivated on CA coast, > 1 probably naturalized, some may be hybrids. Plants with pink to pale blue corollas and nutlets sharply tubercled are called E. strictum L.f. Plants 2–3 m with basal leaf rosette and ± cylindric inflorescence 1+ m are called E. pininana Webb & Berthel
Synonyms: E. fastuosum Aiton misapplied