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potbellied spineflower, Priest Valley spineflower

spoon-sepal spineflower

Habit Plants spreading and diffuse, (0.5–)1–5 × 1–5(–7) dm, pubescent. Plants erect to prostrate, (0.5–)1–3(–4) × 1–4(–5) dm, 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(–3) cm;

blade oblanceolate, 0.5–2.5 × 0.3–1 cm, thinly pubescent adaxially, soft-hirsute 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.

with involucres in open clusters 2–4(–6) cm diam., greenish or reddish;

bracts 2–3 at proximal node, usually leaflike, without whorl of sessile bracts about midstem, elliptic, 0.5–1.5 cm × 2–6(–8) mm, abruptly reduced above proximal node, becoming scalelike, linear, aciculate, acerose, 0.2–1 cm × 1–3 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.

3–10+, grayish, urceolate, slightly ventricose basally, 3–4 mm, slightly corrugate, without scarious or membranous margins, thinly to densely pubescent;

teeth erect to spreading, unequal, 1–2 mm;

awns straight or uncinate with longer anterior one straight, mostly 1 mm, others uncinate, 0.5–1 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 tepals white to pink, cylindric, 4–4.5(–5) mm, sparsely pubescent;

tepals connate 1/2 their length, dimorphic, obovate, those of outer whorl spreading, 2 times longer than those of inner whorl, rounded or slightly obcordate apically, those of inner whorl erect, narrower, fimbriate apically;

stamens (6–)9, mostly included;

filaments distinct, 4–4.5 mm, glabrous;

anthers yellow to golden, oblong, 0.9–1.1 mm.

Achenes

brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm.

brown, globose-lenticular, 3–3.5 mm.

2n

= 40, 42, 44.

= 38, 40, 42.

Chorizanthe ventricosa

Chorizanthe obovata

Phenology Flowering May–Sep. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Serpentine outcrops, mixed grassland communities, oak-pine woodlands Sandy or calcareous soils, mixed grassland, coastal scrub, or chaparral communities, pine-oak woodlands
Elevation 500-1000 m (1600-3300 ft) 10-1300 m (0-4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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.)

Chorizanthe obovata is found in the Coast Ranges. The whitish flowers quickly distinguish it from C. palmeri and the other reddish-flowered members of this complex. Immature plants can be confused with C. staticoides; the floral features readily separate the two species.

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 458. FNA vol. 5, p. 459.
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. fimbriata, C. howellii, C. leptotheca, C. membranacea, 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. palmeri var. ventricosa
Name authority Goodman: Leafl. W. Bot. 2: 193, figs. 1, 2. (1939) Goodman: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 21: 70. (1934)
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