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Douglas' spineflower, San Benito spineflower

Brewer's spineflower, San Luis obispo spineflower

Habit Plants erect, 1–4(–5) × 0.5–3 dm, villous. Plants ascending to decumbent, (0.3–)0.5–1.5(–2) × 1–5(–7) dm, thinly pubescent.
Leaves

basal;

petiole 1–3(–6) cm;

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–2(–4) × 0.1–0.4(–1) cm, villous.

basal;

petiole 1–3 cm;

blade spatulate to ovate, 0.5–2 × 0.3–1.2(–1.5) cm, thinly pubescent to densely tomentose at least abaxially.

Inflorescences

cymose, dichotomously branched throughout, white to greenish or reddish;

bracts usually 2, similar to proximal leaf blades, typically with whorl of 3–5 ca. midstem, short-petiolate, becoming linear and aciculate at distal nodes, acerose, 0.5–2(–3) cm × 1–5(–10) mm, awns absent.

mostly flat-topped, open to rather densely branched, greenish to reddish;

bracts persistent, 2, usually leaflike at proximal nodes and similar to leaf blades, short-petiolate, oblong to ovate, 0.3–0.8 cm × 2–6 mm, becoming sessile, reduced and scalelike at distal nodes, linear, acicular, often acerose, 0.1–0.5 cm × 0.5–1 mm, awns straight, 0.5–1 mm.

Involucres

congested in small leafy terminal clusters of 2–4 at nodes of dichotomies, greenish, cylindric, slightly ventricose basally, 3–5 mm, with conspicuous, purple, broad, membranous margins typically extending across sinuses, finely corrugated, hispid at least along ridges, otherwise sparsely pubescent;

teeth spreading, equal, (0.7–)1–1.5 mm, awns straight, 0.5–1 mm.

in open clusters with 1 at node of dichotomies, reddish, cylindric, not ventricose, 2.5–3 mm, corrugate, without scarious or membranous margins, thinly pubescent with slender curly hairs;

teeth spreading, unequal, 0.4–1.2 mm with 3 longer ones more erect than 3 shorter and less-prominent ones;

awns uncinate, 0.3–0.6 mm.

Flowers

exserted;

perianth white to rose, cylindric, 3.5–4(–4.5) mm, slightly pubescent abaxially;

tepals connate 2/3 their length, monomorphic, obovate, 2-lobed or denticulate apically, infrequently inner whorl entire;

stamens 9, slightly exserted;

filaments distinct, 3–4 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red, oblong, 0.5–0.6 mm.

exserted;

perianth white to rose or red, usually with white lobes, cylindric, 3–3.5 mm, pubescent;

tepals connate ca. 1/2 their length, monomorphic to slightly dimorphic, narrowly oblong to obovate, rounded apically, those of outer whorl usually slightly broader and longer than those of inner whorl;

stamens 9, mostly included;

filaments distinct, 2.5–3 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red, oblong, 0.4–0.5 mm.

Achenes

light brown, globose-lenticular, 3.5–4 mm.

brown, lenticular, 2.5–3 mm.

2n

= 40.

= 38.

Chorizanthe douglasii

Chorizanthe breweri

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jul. Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, mixed grassland communities, oak and pine woodlands Gravelly or rocky places, serpentine outcrops, mixed grassland and chaparral communities, pine-oak woodlands
Elevation (200-)300-1600 m ((700-)1000-5200 ft) 60-800 m (200-2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Chorizanthe douglasii is restricted to the Santa Lucia Mountains and to the San Gabilan and La Panza ranges of west-central California. The species is infrequent but can be locally common. A single collection made in the Santa Cruz Mountains (Rowntree s.n., 16 Jun 1929, CAS) may have been made in Santa Cruz County, but the location is uncertain and no other collection is known from that region.

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

Of conservation concern.

Chorizanthe breweri is found infrequently in the Coast Ranges of southwestern California.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 452. FNA vol. 5, p. 464.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Chorizanthe > subg. Amphietes > sect. Ptelosepala Polygonaceae > subfam. Eriogonoideae > Chorizanthe > subg. Amphietes > sect. Ptelosepala
Sibling taxa
C. angustifolia, C. biloba, C. blakleyi, C. brevicornu, C. breweri, C. clevelandii, C. corrugata, C. cuspidata, C. diffusa, C. fimbriata, C. howellii, C. leptotheca, C. membranacea, C. obovata, C. orcuttiana, C. palmeri, C. parryi, C. polygonoides, C. procumbens, C. pungens, C. rectispina, C. rigida, C. robusta, C. spinosa, C. staticoides, C. stellulata, C. uniaristata, C. valida, C. ventricosa, C. watsonii, C. wheeleri, C. xanti
C. angustifolia, C. biloba, C. blakleyi, C. brevicornu, C. clevelandii, C. corrugata, C. cuspidata, C. diffusa, C. douglasii, C. fimbriata, C. howellii, C. leptotheca, C. membranacea, C. obovata, C. orcuttiana, C. palmeri, C. parryi, C. polygonoides, C. procumbens, C. pungens, C. rectispina, C. rigida, C. robusta, C. spinosa, C. staticoides, C. stellulata, C. uniaristata, C. valida, C. ventricosa, C. watsonii, C. wheeleri, C. xanti
Synonyms C. nortonii
Name authority Bentham: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 418. (1836) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 270. (1877)
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