| 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 |
Shrubs
Stem generally glabrous; twigs or branchlets generally thorny
Leaves generally deciduous, simple, small, generally alternate, entire; stipules minute or 0
Inflorescence: flowers solitary
Flower generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium short, mostly forming thick nectary-disk; sepals generally 5(3–6), free; petals ephemeral, generally 5(3–6), free, generally white; stamens 4–50, attached to nectary-disk; pistils 1–9, simple, styles short, stigma head-like, ovules generally 2–many
Fruit: follicles 1–9
Seeds brown to black, with an aril
Genera in family: 3 genera, 8 species: w US, Mex (Apacheria of AZ, NM has 1 sp.)
Reference: [Thorne & Scogin 1978 Aliso 9:171–178]
Small shrubs, generally densely branched
Stem greenish, glabrous to sparsely hairy, angled; branchlets thorny
Leaves small, generally deciduous, generally oblanceolate to obovate, ± entire
Flower: petals narrowly oblanceolate, white; stamens 4–10
Fruit: follicles 1–3, ovoid, sessile, generally striate, generally beaked
Seeds generally 1–2 per follicle, generally brown; aril ± inconspicuous, generally whitish
Species in genus: ± 5 species: w US, n Mex, especially limestone in desert mtns
Etymology: (Greek: tongue petal, from petal shape)
Reference: [Holmgren 1988 Brittonia 40:269–274]
Formerly called Forsellesia and assigned to Celastraceae.
| Native |
Shrub 5–20 cm, low, matted
Stem not thorny
Leaf 6–10 mm, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, sharply spine-tipped; veins prominent below; stipules 0
Inflorescence: flowers terminal
Flower: sepals acuminate, 2–3 spine-tipped; petals 6–8 mm; stamens 10 in 2 series, longer opposite sepals
Fruit: follicle 1, < 1 mm
Seed 1 per follicle, < 1 mm, light brown
Ecology: Limestone cliffs
Elevation: 1700–2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: eastern Desert Mountains (Clark Mtns)
Distribution outside California: s Nevada (Sheep Mtns)
Flowering time: May–Jun
Synonyms: Forsellesia p. (Brandegee) A. Heller, including var. glabra Ensign