Chorizanthe rigida
Chorizanthe membranacea
devil's spineflower, rigid spineflower, rigid spiny-herb, spiny-herb
pink spineflower
basal and cauline;
petiole 0.5–3(–4) cm;
basal blade broadly elliptic to obovate, 0.5–2.5 × (0.3–)0.5–2 cm, thinly pubescent adaxially, more densely so to tomentose abaxially;
proximal cauline leaf soon deciduous, 1, blade similar to basal leaf blades only 1–2(–2.5) × 0.5–1.5 cm, mucronate to awn-tipped, awn mostly 2–4 mm;
distal cauline leaf blade persistent, 1 per node, sessile, blade linear to linear-lanceolate, 0.1–1.5 × 0.05–0.15 cm, becoming hard and thornlike with age.
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.
with involucres in dense clusters in axils of bracts, these on short shoots and each subtended by cauline leaves;
bracts 2, subopposite to opposite, linear, 0.5–1(–1.2) cm × 1–2 mm, awns straight, 2–4 mm.
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, greenish, urceolate, 3-ribbed, 2–3 mm, corrugate, pubescent, rarely villous near base in some;
teeth 3, unequal, with thickened anterior tooth toward base, 5–10 mm, sometimes expanding and becoming lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, others 0.5–1.2 mm;
awns straight.
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.
1–2, included to slightly exserted;
perianth yellow, cylindric, 1.5–1.8 mm, densely pubescent abaxially;
tepals connate ca. 2/3 their length, monomorphic, oblong, rounded, entire apically;
stamens 9, slightly exserted;
filaments distinct, 0.5–1 mm, glabrous;
anthers yellowish, ovate, 0.2–0.3 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.
brown, 3-gonous, (1.5–)1.8–2.2 mm.
2.5–3 mm.
= 38, 40.
= 38, 40, (42), 80, 82, 84.
Chorizanthe rigida
Chorizanthe membranacea
Anyone with the misfortune to step bare-footed on Chorizanthe rigida after the plant has dried instantly appreciates its common name. The species is widespread on the Mojave and Sonoran deserts but only occasionally is it locally abundant or weedy. It is found also along the Lahontan Trough in western Nevada, a well-known biogeographic extension route north of the Mojave Desert (J. L. Reveal 1980). The exceedingly compact and dense inflorescences with suppressed secondary branches result in a series of leaves and bracts that subtend a closely arranged series of bracteated and involucrated flowers.
(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.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
