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annual abronia, trans montane abronia, trans montane sand verbena

purple sand verbena

Habit Plants annual, infrequently perennial. Plants annual (perennial).
Stems

decumbent to ascending, much branched, elongate, reddish at least basally, glandular-pubescent, rarely glabrous or viscid-pubescent.

decumbent to ascending, much branched, elongate, often reddish, glandular-pubescent, viscid.

Leaves

petiole 1–4.5 cm;

blade broadly ovate to orbiculate, 1–5 × 0.5–3 cm, margins entire or ± repand and undulate, surfaces glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent.

petiole 1–7 cm;

blade ovate-oblong to elliptic, 1–5.5 × 0.7–3 cm, margins entire to sinuate, often ± undulate, infrequently shallowly lobed, surfaces viscid-pubescent.

Inflorescences

peduncle longer than subtending petiole;

bracts lanceolate to ovate, 3–10 × 1–5 mm, papery, puberulent to densely glandular-pubescent;

flowers 15–35.

peduncle longer than subtending petiole;

bracts lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 5–10 × 1–3 mm, papery, glandular-pubescent;

flowers 10–30.

Perianth

tube greenish to coral pink, 6–18 mm, limb white to pale pink, 5–8 mm diam.

tube pink, 10–20 mm, limb bright magenta to pale pink, infrequently pale rose, 6–8 mm diam.

Fruits

winged, turbinate, 3–8 × 3–6 mm, coriaceous, apex broadly tapered to prominent beak;

wings (2–)5 (when 2, folded together) truncate distally with conspicuous dilations, cavities extending throughout.

broadly obdeltate in profile, 5–10 × 4–8 mm, scarious, apex narrowly tapered to a prominent beak;

wings 5, extending to or slightly beyond base of beak, truncate, with conspicuous dilations, cavities extending throughout.

Abronia turbinata

Abronia angustifolia

Phenology Flowering spring–fall. Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat Sandy soils, desert scrub Sandy soils, desert scrub
Elevation 900-2500 m (3000-8200 ft) 300-1300 m (1000-4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; TX; n Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants on gypsum flats and knolls of White Sands, New Mexico, are perennial, but may flower in their first season.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 4, p. 66. FNA vol. 4, p. 65.
Parent taxa Nyctaginaceae > Abronia Nyctaginaceae > Abronia
Sibling taxa
A. alpina, A. ameliae, A. ammophila, A. angustifolia, A. argillosa, A. bigelovii, A. bolackii, A. carletonii, A. elliptica, A. fragrans, A. latifolia, A. macrocarpa, A. maritima, A. mellifera, A. nana, A. pogonantha, A. umbellata, A. villosa
A. alpina, A. ameliae, A. ammophila, A. argillosa, A. bigelovii, A. bolackii, A. carletonii, A. elliptica, A. fragrans, A. latifolia, A. macrocarpa, A. maritima, A. mellifera, A. nana, A. pogonantha, A. turbinata, A. umbellata, A. villosa
Synonyms A. angustifolia var. arizonica, A. torreyi
Name authority Torrey ex S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 285, plate 31, figs. 1–5, 8, 9. (1871) Greene: Pittonia 3: 344. (1898)
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