Camissoniopsis robusta

Herbs annual, villous, usually also glandular puberulent dis­tally. Stems erect, with 1 or more ascending branches from base, to 60 cm. Leaves 1–8 × 1.5–2 cm; subsessile; blade narrowly lanceolate-elliptic, base cuneate to truncate, basal often attenuate, margins denticulate, apex acute. Flowers opening near sunrise; floral tube 1.8–3.7 mm; sepals 2.6–4.2 mm; petals yellow, usually with 1 or 2 red dots basally, 3.2–7 mm; episepalous filaments 1.8–3 mm, epipetalous filaments 1–1.5 mm, anthers 0.8–3 mm, 70–100% of pollen grains 4-pored; style 3–6.2 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis. Cap­sules usually 1-coiled spiral, 4-angled, 14–25 × 1.5–2 mm. Seeds 0.9–1.2 mm. 2n = 42.

Phenology: Flowering (Jan–)Mar–Jun(–Sep).
Habitat: Coastal sage, chaparral, disturbed or open places.
Elevation: 0–600(–800) m.

Distribution

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• Legacy Map

Calif., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Camissoniopsis robusta occurs in coastal San Diego County, California, and coastal northwestern Baja California, south to the vicinity of El Rosario; also on Guadalupe, San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and Santa Cruz (rare) islands. P. H. Raven (1969) determined C. robusta to be self-compatible and primarily autoga­mous. Based on the intermediate morphology of this hexaploid, Raven suggested that it was derived from two species with which it occurs nearly throughout its rather limited range, the tetraploid C. intermedia (2n = 28) and the diploid C. lewisii (2n = 14).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.