Comandra umbellata
Comandra umbellata subsp. umbellata
bastard toad-flax (var. umbellata), bastard-toadflax, California comandra (var. Californica), pale comandra (var. pallida)
bastard toad-flax
cortex white to beige.
usually branched, sometimes much-branched at base;
proximal portions overwintering or not.
blades light green to grayish or bluish green, lanceolate, elliptic, or ovate, 0.7–5.3 cm, apex obtuse, acute, or acuminate.
blade green, paler abaxially, not glaucous, lanceolate, oblanceolate, elliptic, or ovate, 0.7–5(–7.6) cm, thin, soft, base attenuate to acute, margins often slightly revolute, apex obtuse, sometimes apiculate;
midrib and lateral veins conspicuous, protruding on abaxial surface.
0–1.4 mm.
hypanthium base not dilated.
funnel-shaped to almost rotate;
petals lanceolate, lanceolate-oblong, or ovate, 2–3 mm;
anthers 0.5 mm.
dark to light brown, sometimes red-tinged, not glaucous, subglobose to globose, 4–6 mm, smooth.
= 28.
Comandra umbellata
Comandra umbellata subsp. umbellata
Subspecies 4 (3 in the flora).
Comandra umbellata is likely the most widespread Santalales species, occurring throughout the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico as well as in the Balkan peninsula, where subsp. elegans (Rochel ex Reichenbach) Piehl occurs. Comandra umbellata is the alternate host for comandra blister rust (Cronartium comandrae), which damages pines in North America.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
As discussed by M. A. Piehl (1965), subsp. umbellata exhibits a wide range of morphological variation, which has prompted various authors to name numerous species and subspecies. A common example is Comandra richardsiana, which according to M. L. Fernald (1950) represents a western and northern extreme form with a corymbose inflorescence with cymule branches ascending versus a paniculate inflorescence with cymule branches divergent. Intermediate forms between subsp. umbellata and subsp. pallida are reported from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaf blades thin, green, not glaucous; pseudodrupes 4–6 mm; rhizome cortex white to beige; Canada, c, e United States. | subsp. umbellata |
1. Leaves thin or thick, becoming ± succulent, green to grayish or bluish green, glaucous; pseudodrupes 5–9 mm; rhizome cortex blue, drying blackish; w North America. | → 2 |
2. Leaf blade lateral veins obscure on abaxial surface; proximal part of aerial stems not overwintering; herbs 5–33 cm. | subsp. pallida |
2. Leaf blade lateral veins apparent on abaxial surface; proximal part of aerial stems overwintering; subshrubs 15–40 cm. | subsp. californica |
- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
CalFlora, CalPhotos, 
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
KS Wildflowers, 
MD Biodiversity, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
- Local floras: BC
- Local Web sites: IL Wildflowers, KS Wildflowers, MD Biodiversity, MI Flora, MN Wildflowers, MO Plants, PNW Herbaria
- WildflowerSearch
- iNaturalist (observations)
- USDA Plants Database
- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
