Chorizanthe ventricosa |
Chorizanthe blakleyi |
|
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potbellied spineflower, Priest Valley spineflower |
Blakley's spineflower |
|
Habit | Plants spreading and diffuse, (0.5–)1–5 × 1–5(–7) dm, pubescent. | Plants spreading to ascending, 0.5–1.5 × 0.5–3 dm, thinly pubescent. |
Leaves | basal; petiole 0.3–1(–1.5) cm; blade oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–3(–4) × (0.2–)0.4–1(–1.2) cm, thinly pubescent. |
basal; petiole 0.5–2 cm; blade oblanceolate, 0.5–2.5 × 0.3–0.8 cm, thinly pubescent. |
Inflorescences | with involucres in open clusters 2–6 cm diam., greenish or reddish; bracts 2–3 at proximal node, usually leaflike, often with whorl of sessile bracts about midstem, oblanceolate to elliptic, 0.5–1.5 cm × 1–4 mm, gradually becoming reduced, linear-lanceolate, 0.4–1.2(–1.5) cm × 1.5–5 mm, at distal nodes scalelike, linear and aciculate, acerose, awns straight, 1–3 mm. |
with involucres in dense clusters 1–2 cm diam., yellowish green; bracts 2, without whorl of sessile bracts about midstem, usually leaflike, oblanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm × 1.5–3 mm, gradually reduced and becoming scalelike at distal nodes, linear, aciculate, acerose, 0.3–0.8 cm × 1–2 mm, awns straight, 1–2.5 mm. |
Involucres | 3–10+, greenish or reddish, urceolate, strongly ventricose basally, 4–4.5 mm, without scarious or membranous margins, corrugate, thinly pubescent; teeth spreading, unequal, 1–3 mm; awns straight or uncinate with longer anterior one straight, mostly 2 mm, others uncinate, 0.5–1 mm. |
3–10+, yellowish green, urceolate, slightly ventricose basally, 3–4.5 mm, slightly corrugate, without scarious or membranous margins, thinly pubescent; teeth spreading, unequal, 1–3 mm; awns straight or uncinate with longer anterior one straight or slightly curved, mostly 2 mm, others uncinate, 0.5–1.5 mm. |
Flowers | exserted; perianth bicolored with floral tube white to greenish yellow and tepals red to maroon, cylindric, 4–4.5 mm, sparsely pubescent; tepals connate 1/2 their length, dimorphic, oblong, those of outer whorl spreading and recurved, slightly longer than those of inner whorl, broadly obcordate, slightly erose or at least wavy and rounded apically, those of inner whorl erect, narrower, fimbriate and truncate or somewhat 2-lobed apically, erect; stamens 9, exserted; filaments distinct, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous; anthers pink to red or maroon, oblong, 1–1.3 mm. |
exserted; perianth bicolored with floral tube greenish white to white and the lobes white to pinkish, cylindric, 5–6 mm, sparsely pubescent; tepals connate 2/3 their length, dimorphic, obovate, those of outer whorl erect, slightly longer than those of inner whorl, 2-lobed apically, those of inner whorl erect, 2-lobed, erose apically; stamens 9, included; filaments distinct, 5–5.5 mm, glabrous; anthers yellow to golden, oblong, 1–1.2 mm. |
Achenes | brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm. |
brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm. |
2n | = 40, 42, 44. |
= ca. 38. |
Chorizanthe ventricosa |
Chorizanthe blakleyi |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Sep. | Flowering May–Jul. |
Habitat | Serpentine outcrops, mixed grassland communities, oak-pine woodlands | Sandy or gravelly flats and slopes, chaparral communities, oak woodlands |
Elevation | 500-1000 m (1600-3300 ft) | 600-1600 m (2000-5200 ft) |
Distribution |
CA |
CA |
Discussion | Chorizanthe ventricosa is restricted to isolated outcrops of serpentine in the coastal mountain ranges of southeastern Monterey County and southern San Benito County south in western Fresno County to the Parkfield Grade area and in Cottonwood Pass of San Luis Obispo County. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Chorizanthe blakleyi is known only from north-facing slopes and foothills of the Sierra Madre. The species is rare and localized. The yellowish green stem, branches, and involucres readily distinguish it. The white flowers align it with C. obovata. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 458. | FNA vol. 5, p. 459. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. palmeri var. ventricosa | |
Name authority | Goodman: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 193, figs. 1, 2. (1939) | Hardham: Leafl. W. Bot. 10: 95. (1964) |
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