Chorizanthe diffusa
Chorizanthe membranacea
diffuse spineflower
pink spineflower
basal;
petiole 0.2–1.8(–2) cm;
blade oblanceolate, 0.3–2 × 0.1–0.4 cm, villous.
basal and cauline;
petiole 0.1–0.5(–0.8) cm;
blade linear to narrowly oblanceolate, (1–)1.5–5 × 0.1–0.3 cm, thinly to densely floccose adaxially, densely tomentose abaxially.
rather dense with secondary branches suppressed, white to greenish;
bracts 2, similar to leaf blades at proximal nodes only reduced, short-petiolate, becoming linear and aciculate at distal nodes, acerose, 0.3–2 cm × 1–4 mm, awns absent.
strict, white to greenish, open;
bracts usually 2, opposite, rarely in whorls of 3–5, short-petiolate, acerose, similar to proximal leaf blades only reduced, 0.3–3 cm × 1–3 mm, awns straight, 0.5–1 mm.
1, mostly greenish, cylindric, not ventricose, 2–2.5 mm, with thin to broad and then conspicuous white or pinkish to purple, scarious margins extending nearly full length of awn, not corrugate, villous-hirsute;
teeth spreading to divergent, equal, 0.5–1 mm, awns uncinate with longer ones 1–2 mm, anterior one mostly 2 mm, alternating with shorter (0.5–1 mm) ones.
usually congested in small terminal clusters of 1–3 at node of dichotomies, urceolate, ventricose basally, 3-angled, 6-ribbed, 3–4 mm, not corrugate, with conspicuous, white margins extending across sinuses, tomentose to floccose or glabrate with age, greenish to brownish;
teeth 6;
awns uncinate, 0.7–1.5 mm.
exserted;
perianth bicolored with floral tube lemon-yellow and tepals white, campanulate, 2.5–3 mm, glabrous;
tepals connate ca. 1/3 their length, monomorphic, oblong, acute to obtuse and entire apically;
stamens 3–9, slightly exserted;
filaments distinct, 1.5–2 mm, glabrous;
anthers yellow, oval, 0.3–0.4 mm.
1(–2), slightly exserted;
perianth white to rose, subcylindric, (1.5–)2.5–3 mm, densely pubescent abaxially;
tepals connate 2/3 their length, slightly dimorphic, entire and rounded apically, those of outer whorl obovate, those of inner whorl spatulate;
stamens slightly exserted;
filaments 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous;
anthers pink to red, oval, 0.2–0.3 mm.
dark brown, globose-lenticular, 2–2.5 mm.
2.5–3 mm.
= 38, 40, 42.
= 38, 40, (42), 80, 82, 84.
Chorizanthe diffusa
Chorizanthe membranacea
The involucral margins of Chorizanthe diffusa vary greatly. In some individuals, the white margins are barely visible. Plants with the margins of the involucre are predominantly white have been designated var. nivea. A full gradation between the extremes may be observed in most populations, although in coastal sands var. nivea is often the dominant expression. Diffuse spineflower occurs near the coast and in the Coast Ranges of central California.
Chorizanthe diffusa has been shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced preneoplastic lesions in a mouse mammary-organ culture model. This inhibitory activity is known to correlate with cancer chemopreventive effects in full-term models of tumorigenesis (see H. S. Chung et al. 1999).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Chorizanthe membranacea has long been considered an isolated element among the spineflowers. The strict, upright habit, numerous basal and cauline leaves, and broad, continuous, membranous margins of the involucre all reflect that isolation. Pink spineflower is widespread and often locally common in the Coast Ranges of southwestern Oregon and California and on the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada southward to the Transverse Ranges and the Tehachapi Mountains of Ventura and Kern counties, California.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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