Chorizanthe orcuttiana

Parry

Proc. Davenport Acad. Nat. Sci. 4: 54. 1884.

Common names: Orcutt spineflower
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 467. Mentioned on page 447, 466.
Revision as of 22:38, 16 December 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Plants prostrate, 0.1–0.5 × 0.3–2(–2.5) dm, villous. Leaves basal; petiole 1–2 cm; blade narrowly oblanceolate, 0.5–1.5 × 0.2–0.35(–0.5) cm, thinly pubescent. Inflorescences with involucres in small clusters 0.5–1 cm diam., greenish; bracts 2, sessile, unequal, 1 laminar and oblanceolate, 0.3–1 cm × 1–3 mm, awnless, this opposite linear, acicular, greatly reduced, 0.1–0.2 cm × 0.3–0.6 mm bract terminated by short, straight awn 0.6–1 mm. Involucres 1, greenish, campanulate, 3-ribbed, 0.8–2 mm, faintly corrugate, pubescent; teeth 3, equal, 1.8–2 mm; awns uncinate, 0.6–1 mm. Flowers 1, included to slightly exserted; perianth yellow, cylindric, 1.5–1.8 mm, densely pubescent abaxially; tepals connate ca. 1/2 their length, monomorphic, narrowly oblanceolate, obtuse to truncate, entire apically, slightly spreading; stamens 9, slightly exserted; filaments distinct, 0.5–0.8 mm, glabrous; anthers reddish, ovate, 0.2–0.3 mm. Achenes dark brown, lenticular, 2–2.2 mm. 2n = (76, 78), 80, (84).


Phenology: Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat: Sandy soil, mesas and hills near coast, coastal scrub communities
Elevation: 60-200 m

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Chorizanthe orcuttiana is known from a few populations on coastal mesas and hills near San Diego, San Diego County. It is federally listed as endangered. The species is an octoploid that may well have resulted from an ancient hybridization and doubling of chromosomes involving C. procumbens and C. polygonoides var. longispina. The Orcutt spineflower grows in soft, white sand; C. procumbens and C. polygonoides var. longispina are restricted to gravelly sites.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Chorizanthe orcuttiana"
James L. Reveal +
Undefined sect. Acanthogonum +
Orcutt spineflower +
60-200 m +
Sandy soil, mesas and hills near coast, coastal scrub communities +
Flowering Mar–May. +
Proc. Davenport Acad. Nat. Sci. +
Chorizanthe sect. Chorizanthella +
Chorizanthe orcuttiana +
Chorizanthe sect. Acanthogonum +
species +