Erythranthe calciphila

Annuals, usually fibrous-rooted, rarely rooting at proximal nodes. Stems erect, sometimes decumbent-ascending, branched, 4–30 cm, minutely stipitate-glandular, also delicately villosulous-glandular along whole length. Leaves basal and cauline; petiole 1–3 mm, cauline blade slightly or hardly reduced in size from basal, becoming subsessile to sessile (1–3 pairs of cauline leaves); blade palmately 3(–5)-veined, orbicular-ovate to oblong-ovate, 7–28 × 5–22 mm, base truncate to shallowly cuneate, margins shallowly dentate to denticulate, teeth 3–6 per side, apex rounded to obtuse, surfaces villous, hairs thin-walled, vitreous, eglandular or minutely gland-tipped, usually also minutely stipitate-glandular. Flowers plesiogamous, 1–6(–10), axillary at all nodes, chasmogamous. Fruiting pedicels 15–30(–55) mm, minutely stipitate-glandular, sometimes minutely hirtellous and minutely stipitate-glandular, sometimes short glandular-villous. Fruiting calyces nodding 90º at maturity, usually 3(–5)-veined, ovoid, inflated, sagittally compressed, 6–10 mm, minutely stipitate-glandular, throat closing, lobes usually 3 or 3 and 5 on same plant, if 5 then with 2 interpolated lobes much smaller than abaxial pair. Corollas light yellow, red-spotted, weakly bilaterally symmetric, ± bilabiate; tube-throat narrowly funnelform, 5–7 mm, exserted 1–2 mm beyond calyx margin; limb expanded 2–4 mm. Styles glabrous. Anthers included, glabrous. Capsules included, 2–4 mm. 2n = 30, 32.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Sep(–Nov).
Habitat: Rocky knobs, moist boulders, wet rock faces, roadcuts, seepages, springs, with moss, usually in pine or pine-oak woods.
Elevation: 1800–2500 m.

Distribution

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Ariz., Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Sonora).

Discussion

Erythranthe calciphila is recognized by its annual duration (fibrous-rooted), short, erect stems with few, even-sized leaves (the basal often persistent), delicate stipitate-glandular vestiture, three-lobed calyces that are relatively large in fruit, small corollas, and autogamous reproduction. Plants rarely root at proximal nodes. In Arizona, at the northernmost extremity of its range, E. calciphila occurs in the Chiricahua, Huachuca, and Mule mountains of Cochise County.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.