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miniature suncup, Spencer primrose

robust subcup, robust suncup

Habit Herbs annual, densely villous, more densely so distally, also rarely glandular puberulent distally. Herbs annual, villous, usually also glandular puberulent distally.
Stems

arising from base, usually decumbent, rarely with 1 erect, 15–60 cm.

erect, with 1 or more ascending branches from base, to 60 cm.

Leaves

1–12 × 0.2–1.7 cm;

petiole 0–2 cm, distal ones 0–0.5 cm;

blade (basal) narrowly elliptic, (cauline) narrowly elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, base (basal) narrowly cuneate, (cauline) rounded, margins denticulate, apex acute.

1–8 × 1.5–2 cm;

subsessile;

blade narrowly lanceolate-elliptic, base cuneate to truncate, basal often attenuate, margins denticulate, apex acute.

Flowers

opening near sunrise;

floral tube 1.2–2 mm;

sepals 1–2.2(–2.5) mm;

petals yellow, sometimes with 1 or 2 red dots near base, 1.5–3.5(–4.5) mm; episepalous filaments 0.8–1.5 mm, epipetalous filaments 0.5–0.8(–1) mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm, less than 5% of pollen grains 4- or 5-pored;

style 2–3.5 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis.

opening near sunrise;

floral tube 1.8–3.7 mm;

sepals 2.6–4.2 mm;

petals yellow, usually with 1 or 2 red dots basally, 3.2–7 mm; episepalous filaments 1.8–3 mm, epipetalous filaments 1–1.5 mm, anthers 0.8–3 mm, 70–100% of pollen grains 4-pored;

style 3–6.2 mm, stigma surrounded by anthers at anthesis.

Capsules

straight or curved, equal to or slightly more than 1 complete spiral, subterete in living material, 4-angled when dry, 13–20(–25) × 1.1–1.2(–1.8) mm.

usually 1-coiled spiral, 4-angled, 14–25 × 1.5–2 mm.

Seeds

0.7–1.1 mm.

0.9–1.2 mm.

2n

= 14.

= 42.

Camissoniopsis micrantha

Camissoniopsis robusta

Phenology Flowering (Jan–)Mar–Jun(–Sep). Flowering (Jan–)Mar–Jun(–Sep).
Habitat Coastal strand, coastal sage scrub, chaparral. Coastal sage, chaparral, disturbed or open places.
Elevation 0–300(–800) m. (0–1000(–2600) ft.) 0–600(–800) m. (0–2000(–2600) ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Camissoniopsis micrantha occurs from the vicinity of Bodega Bay, Sonoma County, near Lower Lake, Lake County, and near Rio Vista, Sacramento County, south in the Coast Ranges to the Los Angeles Basin and the northern edge of San Diego County; also on San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Santa Catalina islands. The species was introduced, apparently on ballast heaps, at Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Macoun s.n. in 1893, NMC). It has apparently not persisted in this area. P. H. Raven (1969) determined C. micrantha to be self-compatible and primarily autogamous. Excluded populations are now recognized as C. hirtella, C. ignota, C. lewisii, and C. pallida.

Oenothera hirta Link (1821), not Linnaeus (1759), is an illegitimate name that pertains to Camissoniopsis micrantha.

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

Camissoniopsis robusta occurs in coastal San Diego County, California, and coastal northwestern Baja California, south to the vicinity of El Rosario; also on Guadalupe, San Clemente, Santa Catalina, and Santa Cruz (rare) islands. P. H. Raven (1969) determined C. robusta to be self-compatible and primarily autogamous. Based on the intermediate morphology of this hexaploid, Raven suggested that it was derived from two species with which it occurs nearly throughout its rather limited range, the tetraploid C. intermedia (2n = 28) and the diploid C. lewisii (2n = 14).

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

Source FNA vol. 10. FNA vol. 10.
Parent taxa Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae > Camissoniopsis Onagraceae > subfam. Onagroideae > tribe Onagreae > Camissoniopsis
Sibling taxa
C. bistorta, C. cheiranthifolia, C. confusa, C. guadalupensis, C. hardhamiae, C. hirtella, C. ignota, C. intermedia, C. lewisii, C. luciae, C. pallida, C. robusta
C. bistorta, C. cheiranthifolia, C. confusa, C. guadalupensis, C. hardhamiae, C. hirtella, C. ignota, C. intermedia, C. lewisii, C. luciae, C. micrantha, C. pallida
Synonyms Oenothera micrantha, Camissonia micrantha, Holostigma micranthum, S. micranthum Camissonia robusta
Name authority (Hornemmann ex Sprengel) W. L. Wagner & Hoch: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 83: 205. (2007) (P. H. Raven) W. L. Wagner & Hoch: Syst. Bot. Monogr. 83: 205. (2007)
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