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potbellied spineflower, Priest Valley spineflower

fringe spineflower

Habit Plants spreading and diffuse, (0.5–)1–5 × 1–5(–7) dm, pubescent. Plants erect to spreading, 1–3(–3.5) × 1–2.5 dm, pubescent and minutely glandular.
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 0.5–3(–5) cm;

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Achenes

brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm.

brown, lenticular, 3–4 mm.

2n

= 40, 42, 44.

Chorizanthe ventricosa

Chorizanthe fimbriata

Phenology Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat Serpentine outcrops, mixed grassland communities, oak-pine woodlands
Elevation 500-1000 m (1600-3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

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.)

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. 458. FNA vol. 5, p. 465.
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. 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. watsonii, C. wheeleri, C. xanti
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
Subordinate taxa
C. fimbriata var. fimbriata, C. fimbriata var. laciniata
Synonyms C. palmeri var. ventricosa
Name authority Goodman: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 193, figs. 1, 2. (1939) Nuttall: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 4: 17. (1848)
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