Key to Eremogone

View taxon page for Eremogone

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

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

1. Inflorescence generally head- or umbel-like, dense to ± open; 

pedicels 

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

generally < 7 mm ..... E. congesta

2. Pedicels 0–0.2(2) mm; inflorescence dense

3. Leaf generally 3–8 cm, ± thread-like, not fleshy; NCoRH, CaRH, n SNH, Wrn ..... var. congesta

3' Leaf 2–3 cm, ± thread- or needle-like, ± fleshy; KR, NCoRH, MP ..... var. crassula

2' Pedicels 1–12 mm; inflorescence ± open

4. Inflorescence umbel-like, bracts generally at base; sepals 3–4 mm, 

obtuse 

Having a short-tapered, blunt tip or base, the sides convex or straight and converging at more than a right angle.

..... var. suffrutescens

4' Inflorescence not umbel-like, bracts scattered among flowers; sepals 3.5–6.5 mm, 

acute 

Having a short-tapered, sharp tip, the sides convex or straight and converging at less than a right angle.

5. Sepals 3.5–4.5 mm ..... var. subcongesta

5' Sepals 4.5–6.5 mm

6. Leaf 1–2 cm; sepals 4.5–5.5 mm; DMtns ..... var. charlestonensis

6' Leaf 2–3.5 cm; sepals 5.5–6.5 mm; n SNH, MP ..... var. simulans

1' Inflorescence generally ± open 

cyme 

1. In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae and some other groups, a branched inflorescence in which the central or uppermost flower opens before the peripheral or lowermost flowers on any axis. see 2. In Asteraceae and some other groups, a cyme-like inflorescence is one in which the central or uppermost inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae, umbels enclosed by involucres in Eriogonum), instead of individual flowers, develop and mature before the peripheral or lowermost inflorescence units on any axis.

or flowers 1–2; pedicels some or all > 7 mm (± 0.5–1.5 mm in Eremogone ursina)

7. Sepals generally obtuse to rounded or broadly acute, abruptly pointed or not

8. Leaf 

blade 

Expanded portion of a leaf, petal, or other structure, generally flat but sometimes rolled, cylindric, wavy, or cupped.

0.5–1 cm; sepals in flower 1.8–3 mm; SnBr ..... E. ursina

8' Leaf blade 1–6 cm; sepals in flower 3–5.5(6.5) mm; KR, CaR, n SN, MP

9. Petals 12–18 mm; stem glabrous; leaves not glaucous; fruit 7.5–9 mm ..... E. cliftonii

9' Petals 4.5–10 mm; stem glandular-hairy; leaves generally glaucous; fruit 5–7 mm ..... E. aculeata

7' Sepals acute to 

acuminate 

Having a long-tapered, sharp tip, the sides concave.

, ± spine-tipped or not

10. Stem 1–20 (30) cm; leaves 0.3–2 cm ..... E. kingii var. glabrescens

10' Stem generally 20–40 cm; leaves 2–6 cm

11. Sepals 3–4.3 mm, in fruit < 5.5 mm; inflorescence branches 

spreading 

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

; nectaries rounded, 0.3–0.4 mm ..... E. ferrisiae

11' Sepals 4.5–7.2 mm, in fruit < 8 mm; inflorescence branches 

erect 

Upright; vertically oriented.

to 

ascending 

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

; nectaries rectangular, 2-lobed or 

truncate 

Abruptly (not gradually) narrower or smaller at base or tip, as if cut straight across or nearly so.

, 0.7–1.5 mm ..... E. macradenia

12. Cauline leaves downcurved, 0.8–2 mm wide ..... var. arcuifolia

12' Cauline leaves ± ascending, 0.8–1.2 mm wide ..... var. macradenia

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