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fringe spineflower

Brewer's spineflower, San Luis obispo spineflower

Habit Plants erect to spreading, 1–3(–3.5) × 1–2.5 dm, pubescent and minutely glandular. Plants ascending to decumbent, (0.3–)0.5–1.5(–2) × 1–5(–7) dm, thinly pubescent.
Leaves

basal;

petiole 0.5–3(–5) cm;

blade elliptic to obovate or spatulate, 1–3(–3.5) × 0.2–1(–2.5) cm, thinly pubescent adaxially, sparsely tomentose abaxially.

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

open, reddish;

bracts 3 at proximal node, otherwise 2, sessile, scalelike, linear, acicular, often acerose, 0.1–0.5 cm × 0.5–1 mm, awns straight, 1–2 mm.

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

1(–5+), reddish or greenish, cylindric, not ventricose, 4–6(–7) mm, finely corrugate, with thin hyaline margins between teeth, sparsely to densely pubescent;

teeth divergent, unequal, 3 longer ones 1–3 mm, alternating with 3 shorter ones 0.3–1 mm;

awns straight, unequal, 3 longer ones 1–2.5(–3) mm, shorter one (0.3–)0.5–1.5 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 bicolored, with floral tube yellow to yellowish white and tepals white to rose, becoming dark rose to red with age, cylindric, 6–9(–10) mm, glabrous abaxially except for few to several scattered hairs ca. midlength along midribs;

tepals connate 1/2 their length, monomorphic, oblong, fimbriate to laciniate apically;

stamens 9, included;

filaments distinct, 3–8 mm, glabrous;

anthers pink to red, oblong, 0.5–0.7 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

brown, lenticular, 3–4 mm.

brown, lenticular, 2.5–3 mm.

2n

= 38.

Chorizanthe fimbriata

Chorizanthe breweri

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat Gravelly or rocky places, serpentine outcrops, mixed grassland and chaparral communities, pine-oak woodlands
Elevation 60-800 m (200-2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Chorizanthe fimbriata is our only representative of subsect. Flava, a taxon of six species otherwise confined to Baja California. These are the most elegant of the annual species in their remarkable flowers. The flower color, the fine divisions of the tips of the tepals, plus the handsome habit make them of potential horticultural interest for the “need-to-be-challenged” gardeners. In addition to C. fimbriata var. laciniata, C. pulchella Brandegee would be a worthy introduction. Chorizanthe flava Brandegee has bright yellow flowers that contrast dramatically with its reddish mature inflorescence branches. The large (7–9 mm) flowers of C. mutabilis Brandegee are a wonder to behold, the yellow floral tube contrasting with the white to red of the tepals themselves.

(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.)

Key
1. Tepals fimbriate apically, distal segments linear to lanceolate, broader than lateral segments; perianths 6-7(-8) mm
var. fimbriata
1. Tepals laciniate apically, distal segments linear, scarcely broader than lateral segments; perianths 8-9(-10) mm
var. laciniata
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 465. 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. douglasii, 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
Subordinate taxa
C. fimbriata var. fimbriata, C. fimbriata var. laciniata
Name authority Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 17. (1848) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 270. (1877)
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