Eremothera pygmaea

Herbs glandular puberulent, also moderately villous, sometimes sparsely so. Stems simple or loosely branched, (4–)12–35 cm, usually flowering only distally. Leaves cauline, sometimes with lower ones clustered near base,1.5–6.5 × 0.5–2 cm; petiole 0–3.5 cm; blade lanceolate to ovate or elliptic to subrhombic, margins crenate-dentate or serrulate. Inflorescences nodding. Flowers opening at sunset; floral tube 1.7–2.2(–4) mm, villous in proximal 1/2 inside; sepals 1.7–2.6 mm; petals white, fading pinkish, 1.5–2.5 mm; episepalous filaments 1–2.2 mm, epipetalous filaments slightly shorter, anthers 0.4–0.9 mm; style 3.2–4 mm, villous near base, stigma 0.5–0.8 mm diam., surrounded by anthers at anthesis. Capsules cylindrical and thickened proximally, spreading, straight to arcuate or loosely sigmoid, terete, 8–20 × 2–3 mm, regularly but tardily dehiscent. Seeds dimorphic, light brown, ca. 1 mm, those at base of capsule coarsely papillose, those of upper portion finely reticulate. 2n = 14, 28.

Phenology: Flowering late May–Aug.
Habitat: Steep, loose slopes, in scree, on gravelly flats or washes.
Elevation: 150–1500 m.

Idaho, Oreg., Wash.

Discussion

P. H. Raven (1969) determined Eremothera pygmaea to be self-compatible and autogamous. It is rare and local at scattered localities in eastern Washington (Douglas, Grant, and Kittitas counties), eastern Oregon (Gilliam, Grant, Harney, and Wheeler counties), and at one locality in adjacent southern Idaho (Jerome County).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa