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California ayenia, compact ayenia, desert ayenia

Habit Subshrubs, erect or decumbent, (0.1–)0.5–0.8(–1) m. Stems hairy, hairs stellate, arms appressed. Shrubs, erect, to 2 m. Stems densely stellate-hairy to glabrate, hairs simple, fasciculate, and/or stellate, sometimes minutely stellate, not appressed.
Leaves

petiole 0.5(–0.8) cm;

blades of proximal leaves orbiculate to broadly ovate, 0.3–0.5 × 0.3–0.5 cm, distal ovate to ovate-lanceolate, unlobed, 1–1.5 × 0.5–0.9 cm, base rounded to slightly cordate, margins serrate, ciliate, apex obtuse to subacute, 3(–5)-veined from base, surfaces stellate-hairy.

petiole (0.4–)2–3.5 cm;

blade broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, slightly 3–5-lobed, 2.5–11 × (1.5–)2.5–7.5 cm, noticeably reduced in size distally on stem, base truncate to slightly cordate, margins dentate-serrate, apex acute to attenuate, 5–7-veined from base, surfaces: abaxial densely to sparingly hairy, hairs simple, bifurcate, and/or stellate, not appressed, adaxial sparingly hairy to glabrescent, hairs simple, bifurcate, and/or stellate, not appressed.

Pedicels

5–10 mm.

Flowers

sepals caducous, not present in young fruit, not reflexed at anthesis, ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–3 mm, sparingly stellate-pubescent abaxially;

petal claws 2–3 mm, lamina rhombic, 1–1.5 × 1.5–3 mm, base attenuate on claw, margins entire, apex notched, surfaces hairy abaxially, hairs simple, multicellular, abaxial appendage cylindric, 0.2–0.3 mm;

androgynophore 1–1.5 mm;

stamen filaments present;

stigmas scarcely exserted.

sepals caducous, not present in young fruit, reflexed at anthesis, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 3–3.5 mm, sparingly stellate-hairy abaxially;

petal claws 2–2.5 mm, lamina ± rhombic, 1 × 1–1.5 mm, base deeply lobed, lobes oblong, margins erose, apex entire, glabrous, abaxial appendage absent;

androgynophore 0.5–1 mm;

stamen filaments absent;

stigmas slightly exserted.

Capsules

subglobose, (3.5–)4.5–5 × 3–4.5 mm, sparingly stellate-pubescent, prickles 0.1–0.3 mm.

oblate to subspheric, 6 × 7 mm, densely short stellate-pubescent, prickles 0.5–1 mm.

Seeds

2–2.5(–2.9) mm, slightly to densely tuberculate.

4 mm, tuberculate.

Cymes

axillary, not borne on short shoots (brachyblasts), 1(or 2)-flowered;

peduncle 1–2.5 mm.

axillary or terminal, not borne on short shoots (brachyblasts), 3–5-flowered;

peduncle 10–20 mm.

2n

= 20.

Ayenia compacta

Ayenia jaliscana

Phenology Flowering and fruiting spring–early fall. Flowering and fruiting late summer–early winter.
Habitat Rocky slopes, gravelly or sandy washes, dry canyons Rocky slopes, canyon bottoms, desert grasslands
Elevation 100–1200 m (300–3900 ft) 1100–1200 m (3600–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

In the United States, Ayenia compacta is known from southernmost California and Arizona; in Mexico, it is found on the Baja California peninsula and in Sonora on islands in the Gulf of California.

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

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 204. FNA vol. 6, p. 205.
Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Byttnerioideae > Ayenia Malvaceae > subfam. Byttnerioideae > Ayenia
Sibling taxa
A. euphrasiifolia, A. filiformis, A. jaliscana, A. limitaris, A. microphylla, A. pilosa
A. compacta, A. euphrasiifolia, A. filiformis, A. limitaris, A. microphylla, A. pilosa
Synonyms A. californica
Name authority Rose: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 8: 321. (1905) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 26: 133. (1891)
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