Mirabilis alipes

(S. Watson) Pilz

Madroño 25: 120. 1978.

IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Hermidium alipes S. Watson Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 286, plate 32. 1871
Synonyms: Hermidium alipes var. pallidium Ch. Porter
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 44. Mentioned on page 40, 43.

Herbs, forming hemispheric clumps 6–8 dm diam., glabrous or very sparsely puberulent. Stems 2–4 dm. Leaves spreading; petioles of proximal leaves 0.5–0.7 cm; blades of midstem leaves ovate to widely ovate, 4.5–9 × 3.5–5 cm, base obtuse to rounded, often oblique, apex obtuse, rarely acute. Involucres: peduncle 3–10 mm; involucres erect to pendent, 11–30 mm; bracts 6–9, distinct or to 50% connate, apex acute to obtuse, rarely rounded. Flowers 6–9 per involucre; perianth usually magenta, occasionally creamy white, bell-shaped, 1.5–1.8 cm. Fruits mottled olive green, with 10 slender, tan ribs, ellipsoid, 5.5–7 mm, rugulose, glabrous, secreting thick, heavy mucilage when wetted.


Phenology: Flowering spring–late summer.
Habitat: Gravelly or sandy soils in arid brushlands or pinyon-juniper woodlands
Elevation: 1200-2000 m

Distribution

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Calif., Colo., Nev., Utah.

Discussion

Hermidium was once maintained as a genus based on discrete involucral bracts. As discussed by G. E. Pilz (1978), distinct bracts are typical, but involucres with the five outermost bracts united to one-half their length are common.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Mirabilis alipes"
Richard W. Spellenberg +
- S. Watson Pilz +
Hermidium alipes +
Calif. +, Colo. +, Nev. +  and Utah. +
1200-2000 m +
Gravelly or sandy soils in arid brushlands or pinyon-juniper woodlands +
Flowering spring–late summer. +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
Hermidium alipes var. pallidium +
Mirabilis alipes +
Mirabilis sect. Quamoclidion +
species +