Stems erect or spreading, 10–30 cm, sparsely pilose or glabrescent, hairs glandular. Leaf blades narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, 7–20 × 3–7 mm, margins entire or pinnately 5-lobed, lateral veins conspicuous. Spikes 5–15 cm; bracts often red distally, narrowly ovate to ovate, 12–20 mm, margins pinnately 3–7-lobed. Flowers: calyx 12–15 mm; corolla white to pale lavender, 12–20 mm, lobes 4–5 mm, often with pale lavender spots at base of abaxial lobe; stamens 2, each with 2 pollen sacs; staminodes 2. Capsules narrowly ovoid, 6–7 mm. Seeds 14–18, brown to dark brown, ± reniform, 2.5–3 mm, with abaxial crest. 2n = 42.

Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Alkaline flats.
Elevation: 10–150 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif.

Discussion

Chloropyron palmatum is threatened by agriculture and urbanization (T. I. Chuang and L. R. Heckard 1973) in Fresno, Madera, San Joaquin, and Yolo counties. Inflorescence bracts are not palmate but are more deeply incised than those of C. molle.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.