Herbs perennial, base some­times woody, glabrous or sparsely villous proximally. Stems with several divergent branches from base, 10–50 cm. Leaves primarily in basal rosette and cauline, 3–20 × 0.7–2.5 cm; petiole 0.5–4 cm; blade pinnately or bipinnately lobed, terminal lobe ovate to elliptic, 0.4–2.5 × 0.3–1.5 cm, margins irregularly serrate, dark brown oil cells prominently lining veins abaxially. Racemes erect, elongating after anthesis. Flowers opening at sunrise; buds individually reflexed, with apical free tips less than 1 mm; floral tube 1.5–2 mm, glabrous inside; sepals 2–5 mm; petals bright yellow, with red dots near base, fading pale lavender, 2–6 mm; stamens unequal, filaments of antisepalous stamens 1.5–3 mm, those of antipetalous ones 1–2 mm, anthers 1.2–2 mm, glabrous; style 4–7 mm, stigma sur­rounded by anthers at anthesis. Capsules spreading to ascend­ing, oblong-cylindrical, 8–20 mm; pedicel 6–10 mm. Seeds 0.6–1 mm.

Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora): Arizona.

P. H. Raven (1962, 1969) thought that this species is most likely self-compatible but primarily outcrossing.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Chylismia specicola subsp. hesperia, Chylismia specicola subsp. specicola

Key

1	Leaf blades and styles glabrous; herbs ± woody at base.	Chylismia specicola subsp. specicola
1	Leaf blades and styles villous, at least at base; herbs not woody.	Chylismia specicola subsp. hesperia