Cordylanthus parviflorus
Contr. Dudley Herb. 1: 174. 1933.
Stems erect to ascending, 20–60 cm, hirsute and densely glandular-pubescent. Leaves glandular-pubescent and hirsute; proximal 10–30 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes 1 mm wide; distal 5–20 × 1 mm, margins entire. Inflorescences spikes, 2-flowered, or flowers solitary; bracts 1(or 2), 5–15 mm, margins 3-lobed, lobes sometimes purplish distally, linear-lanceolate. Pedicels: bracteoles 10–12 mm, margins entire. Flowers: calyx 10–15 mm, tube 5–8 mm, apex 2-fid, cleft 1 mm; corolla pale pink to purple-pink with darker veins, 15–20 mm, tube 10–15 mm, throat 5–7 mm diam., abaxial lip 5–6 mm, shorter than and not appressed to adaxial; stamens 4, filaments hairy, fertile pollen sacs 2 per filament, equal. Capsules oblong-lanceoloid, 7–9 mm. Seeds 15–20, dark brown, ovoid to reniform, 1.5–2 mm, reticulate and papillate. 2n = 26.
Phenology: Flowering Aug–Oct.
Habitat: Dry, rocky slopes, sagebrush scrub, pinyon-juniper woodlands, Joshua tree woodlands.
Elevation: 700–2200 m.
Distribution
Ariz., Calif., Idaho, Nev., Utah.
Discussion
Cordylanthus parviflorus is similar to C. laxiflorus, which also has unequal corolla lips. It can be distinguished from C. laxiflorus by its pink to purple (versus yellow) corollas and stamens with two pollen sacs.
Selected References
None.