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spinycape, valley spinycape

Indian Valley spineflower, Indian Valley spinycape

Habit Herbs, annual; taproot slender. Plants 0.2–1 × 0.2–0.8 dm.
Stems

arising directly from the root, erect, solid, not fistulose or disarticulating into ringlike segments, glandular.

Leaves

usually quickly deciduous, basal, rosulate;

petiole present;

blade linear-spatulate.

blades (0.3–)0.5–1.5 × (0.1–)0.2–0.4 cm.

Inflorescences

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.

Peduncles

erect, peglike.

1–2 mm.

Involucres

1 per node, 5-ribbed, tubular, narrowly turbinate;

teeth 5, awn-tipped.

Flowers

(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.

1.5 mm;

filaments 1.5–2 mm.

Achenes

mostly included, light greenish brown to tan, not winged, 3-gonous, glabrous.

1.5 mm.

Seeds

embryo curved.

Invo

-lucres 3–5 mm, faintly corrugate;

awns divergent, (1–)2–3 mm.

x

= 14.

2n

= 28.

Aristocapsa

Aristocapsa insignis

Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Sandy soil in grassland communities, and in pine-oak or juniper woodlands
Elevation 300-600 m (1000-2000 ft)
Distribution
from USDA
wc Calif
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Of conservation concern.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 475. Author: James L. Reveal. FNA vol. 5, p. 476.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Aristocapsa
Subordinate taxa
A. insignis
Synonyms Chorizanthe insignis, Centrostegia insignis, Oxytheca insignis
Name authority Reveal & Hardham: Phytologia 66: 84. (1989) (Curran) Reveal & Hardham: Phytologia 66: 84. (1989)
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