Herbs annual or short-lived per­ennial, villous, usually densely so proximally, less dense to glabrate distally, sometimes hairs somewhat appressed and shorter on leaves, also sometimes glandular puberulent on distal parts. Stems slender, unbranched or branched from base, 10–60 cm. Leaves in basal rosette and/or cauline, often purple-dotted, 2–22 × 0.4–3.5 cm; petiole 0.4–8 cm; blade pinnately lobed, sometimes lateral lobes greatly re­duced or absent and blade reduced to terminal lobe only, terminal lobe oblong or cordate to ovate, 1–5 × 0.5–3.2 cm, margins serrate, brown oil cells promi­nently lining veins abaxially. Racemes erect, elon­gating after anthesis. Flowers opening at sunrise; buds individually reflexed, with apical free tips less than 1 mm; floral tube 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous or sparsely villous inside; sepals 1.5–5 mm; petals bright yellow, fading pale orange or lavender, 1–6 mm; stamens unequal, fila­ments of antisepalous stamens 1–3 mm, those of antipeta­lous ones 0.3–2 mm, anthers 0.5–2 mm, glabrous or sparsely ciliate; style 1.5–6 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis. Capsules spreading or ascending, oblong-cylindrical, 11–45 mm; pedicel 5–30 mm. Seeds 0.6–1.2 mm.

Distribution

sw United States.

Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

P. H. Raven (1962, 1969) determined this species to be self-incompatible and primarily autogamous.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Chylismia walkeri subsp. tortilis, Chylismia walkeri subsp. walkeri

Key

1	Leaves primarily cauline, rarely forming inconspicuous basal rosette, lateral lobes usually greatly reduced or absent; petals 1–3 mm; anthers 0.5–0.8 mm.	Chylismia walkeri subsp. walkeri
1	Leaves primarily basal, forming conspicuous rosette, cauline reduced or absent, lateral lobes usually well developed; petals 2.8–6 mm; anthers 1–2 mm.	Chylismia walkeri subsp. tortilis