Shrubs. Stems ascending or spreading. Bark exfoliating in grayish strips or flakes. Branches spreading; twigs with simple trichomes. Leaves deciduous, opposite, sometimes clustered on short shoots; petiole present, relatively short, those of opposite leaves connate-perfoliate; blade elliptic to lanceolate, oblanceolate, obovate, or linear-oblong, ± coriaceous, margins entire, plane or revolute; venation acrodromous, lateral veins sometimes obscure. Inflorescences terminal, compound cymes, (3–)5–26(–34)-flowered; peduncle present. Pedicels present. Flowers bisexual; perianth and androecium perigynous; hypanthium completely adnate to ovary, turbinate-campanulate, not ribbed in fruit; sepals persistent, (4–)5, erect, lanceolate, strigose; petals (4–)5, valvate, spreading, white to yellowish, oblanceolate, base clawed, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes sericeous-pilose abaxially; stamens (8–)10; filaments distinct, dorsiventrally flattened, gradually or abruptly tapered from base to tip, apex not 2-lobed; anthers globose; pistil (2–)3(–5)-carpellate, ovary slightly inferior, (2–)3(–5)-locular; placentation axile; styles persistent, (2–)3(–5), distinct. Capsules lanceoloid, cartilaginous, dehiscence basipetally septicidal to near base of fruit. Seeds 1 per locule, reddish brown, with a white cap, ellipsoid.

Distribution

sw, sc United States, Mexico.

Discussion

Species 4 (1 in the flora).

Three other species have been named from Mexico. These differ from Fendlerella utahensis in having leaf blades that have denser pubescence and more revolute margins.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Fendlerella utahensis