Hesperolinon spergulinum |
Hesperolinon congestum |
|
---|---|---|
slender dwarf-flax, slender western flax, slender western or dwarf flax |
Marin dwarf-flax, Marin western flax |
|
Habit | Herbs, 10–30(–50) cm, glabrous or glabrate; branches from distal nodes, alternate, widely spreading. | Herbs, (5–)15–30(–45) cm, glabrous or glabrate; branches from distal nodes, alternate, strongly virgate (proximal unbranched main axis usually long in comparison to branched distal portion). |
Leaves | alternate; stipular glands absent or minute; blade linear or narrowly oblong, 10–35 × 0.5–2(–2.5) mm, base flat, not clasping, margins without stalked glands. |
alternate; stipular glands present; blade linear, (5–)15–25 × 1–1.5(–2) mm, base flat, not clasping, margins eglandular or glands minute. |
Inflorescences | cymes monochasial (helicoid), open, internodes long, flowers widely scattered; bract margins without prominent glands. |
cymes monochasial, dense, sparingly branched, internodes sometimes all condensed or long proximally and condensed distally, flowers condensed at apices; bract margins eglandular. |
Pedicels | 5–15(–25) mm, 5–25 mm in fruit, pendent in bud, deflexed at 90° angle, slightly bent at apex. |
0.5–2(–5) mm, scarcely longer in fruit, ascending, not bent at apex. |
Flowers | sepals erect, not reflexed at tip, ovate, 1.5–2.5(–3.5) mm, equal, margins minutely gland-toothed, surfaces glabrous; petals widely spreading to reflexed, white or pale pink, usually darker-veined, obovate, 4–7 mm, apex obtuse; cup white, rim petal attachments in indentations; stamens exserted; filaments (3–)4–5(–7) mm; anthers pink to red-purple, white-margined, dehisced anthers 1.2–2 mm; ovary chambers 6; styles 3, white, 3.5–7 mm, exserted. |
sepals erect, ± reflexed at tip, lanceolate, 3–4 mm, equal, margins minutely glandular, surfaces hairy, hairs intertwined or matted; petals ± reflexed, pink to rose, oblanceolate, (3–)6–7(–8) mm, apex obtuse, sometimes slightly notched; cup white, rim with petal attachments set in deep notches between filaments; stamens exserted; filaments 4–5 mm; anthers rose to purple, dehisced anthers 1.5–2 mm; ovary chambers 6; styles 3, white, (3–)4–4.5(–5) mm, exserted. |
2n | = 36. |
= 36. |
Hesperolinon spergulinum |
Hesperolinon congestum |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Aug. | Flowering Apr–Aug. |
Habitat | Chaparral or woodland margins, serpentine soils. | Grasslands on serpentine soils. |
Elevation | 100–1000 m. (300–3300 ft.) | 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA
|
CA
|
Discussion | Hesperolinon spergulinum occurs in the central and southern North Coast Ranges; there are historical reports from Santa Clara County. The pendent buds, a result of the deflexed and sometimes downward-curved pedicel, and the relatively long styles and stamens are distinctive. The petal appendages are relatively well developed in H. spergulinum; the ligule may be as large as 1 mm and hairy. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Hesperolinon congestum is known from a narrow band within the Outer Coast Ranges from Marin County south to San Mateo County. It can be distinguished from all other species in the genus by its hairy sepals. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 398. | FNA vol. 12, p. 402. |
Parent taxa | Linaceae > Hesperolinon | Linaceae > Hesperolinon |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Linum spergulinum | Linum congestum |
Name authority | (A. Gray) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 25: 86. (1907) | (A. Gray) Small: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 25: 86. (1907) |
Web links |