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Parry's pussypaws

pygmy pussypaws

Habit Plants annual, taprooted. Plants annual, taprooted or roots fibrous.
Stems

2 or more from each rosette, spreading to ascending, 2–11 cm.

2 or more from each rosette, spreading to erect, leafy, 0.5–8 cm.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

basal in single, prostrate rosette;

blade spatulate, 1–3 cm.

basal and cauline;

basal in single, prostrate rosette;

blade spatulate, 0.5–1.5 cm.

Inflorescences

paniculate or racemose scorpioid cymes, becoming secund, open to dense.

paniculate or racemose, often secund, ± dense.

Flowers

subsessile;

sepals ovate, orbiculate, or reniform, unequal, 2–5 mm, margins scarious;

petals 3(–4), white or pinkish, 1.5–3 mm;

stamens 1–3, anther yellow;

style absent;

stigmas 2.

pedicellate;

sepals ovate, 2–4 mm, fleshy, becoming membranaceous;

petals persistent in fruit, 4, white, 3 mm;

stamens 1(–3), anther yellow;

style absent;

stigmas 2;

pedicel 1–3 mm.

Capsules

ovoid to cylindric, 3–7 mm;

valves 2.

ovoid, 3–5 mm;

valves 2.

Seeds

10–15, black, orbicular, 0.6–0.7 mm, shiny.

5–9, black, orbicular, 0.3–0.7 mm, shiny.

2n

= 44.

= 44.

Cistanthe parryi

Cistanthe pygmaea

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Open, sandy areas, chaparral, woodlands Dry, less often moist, sandy or gravelly soils
Elevation 700-3400 m (2300-11200 ft) 1900-3500 m (6200-11500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA
Discussion

Some authorities recognize varietal segregates in this species based on minor characters that appear to exhibit much variation from population to population; they are not treated in this account.

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

Source FNA vol. 4, p. 463. FNA vol. 4, p. 463.
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Cistanthe Portulacaceae > Cistanthe
Sibling taxa
C. ambigua, C. maritima, C. monandra, C. monosperma, C. pulchella, C. pygmaea, C. quadripetala, C. rosea, C. tweedyi, C. umbellata
C. ambigua, C. maritima, C. monandra, C. monosperma, C. parryi, C. pulchella, C. quadripetala, C. rosea, C. tweedyi, C. umbellata
Synonyms Calyptridium parryi, Calyptridium parryi subsp. nevadense, Calyptridium parryi var. arizonicum, Calyptridium parryi var. nevadense Calyptridium pygmaeum
Name authority (A. Gray) Hershkovitz: Phytologia 68: 268. (1990) (Parish ex Rydberg) Hershkovitz: Phytologi a 68: 268. (1990)
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