Aristocapsa
spinycape, valley spinycape
arising directly from the root, erect, solid, not fistulose or disarticulating into ringlike segments, glandular.
usually quickly deciduous, basal, rosulate;
petiole present;
blade linear-spatulate.
terminal, cymose;
branches dichotomous, not brittle or disarticulating into segments, round, glandular;
bracts 3, positioned to side of node opposite involucre, connate basally, oblong to linear-acicular, long-awned, glandular.
erect, peglike.
1 per node, 5-ribbed, tubular, narrowly turbinate;
teeth 5, awn-tipped.
(4–)6 per involucre;
perianth white to pink or rose, campanulate when open, cylindric when closed, pubescent abaxially;
tepals 6, connate proximally, monomorphic, entire apically;
stamens 9;
filaments free, glabrous;
anthers red to maroon, oblong.
mostly included, light greenish brown to tan, not winged, 3-gonous, glabrous.
embryo curved.
= 14.
Aristocapsa
Species 1.
Aristocapsa may be distinguished from other Eriogonoideae by the combination of five-awned involucres that are slightly corrugated, three-parted inflorescence bracts that are awn-tipped, and (4–)6 flowers per involucre. The base chromosome number is unique in tribe Eriogoneae. Pterostegia (tribe Pterostegieae) is the only other genus of the subfamily with that number. Among Chorizanthineae, only Centrostegia and Aristocapsa have curved embryos, the condition usually found in Eriogonineae.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
