Herbs annual, moderately to densely villous, sometimes strig­illose. Stems branched, 3–75 cm. Leaves primarily in basal rosette, cauline greatly reduced when present, 6–14 × 1.5–3.5 cm; petiole 1.5–4(–11) cm; blade pinnately lobed or lateral lobes greatly reduced or absent, often mixed on same plant, terminal lobe usually ovate, rarely elliptic, 2.5–6.9 × 1.5–7 cm, margins irregularly dentate, oil cells on abaxial surface inconspicuous. Racemes nodding, mostly elongating after flowers. Flowers opening at sunrise; buds some­times individually reflexed, without free tips or with subapical free tips 1–2 mm, or with minute, apical free tips less than 1 mm; floral tube 3–8 mm, densely short-villous inside proximally; sepals 5–9 mm; petals bright yellow, sometimes with red dots at base, fading yellow to orange or reddish, 3–18 mm; stamens sub­equal, filaments 3–6 mm, anthers 2.5–6 mm, ciliate; style 10–18 mm, stigma exserted beyond anthers at anthesis. Capsules ascending or spreading, oblong-cylindrical, 18–92 mm; pedicel 2–20 mm. Seeds 1–1.5 mm.

Distribution

sw United States.

Discussion

Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).

P. H. Raven (1962, 1969) determined this species to be self-incompatible.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Chylismia brevipes subsp. arizonica, Chylismia brevipes subsp. brevipes, Chylismia brevipes subsp. pallidula

Key

1	Flower buds individually reflexed; petals often fading reddish, 3–8 mm.	Chylismia brevipes subsp. arizonica
1	Flower buds not individually reflexed; petals fading yellow to orange, 6–18 mm.	> 2
2	Plants stout, villous; buds with subapical free tips 1–2 mm; petals usually without red dots at base.	Chylismia brevipes subsp. brevipes
2	Plants slender, usually strigillose, sometimes also villous proximally; buds with apical free tips 0–1 mm; petals often with red dots near base.	Chylismia brevipes subsp. pallidula