Metastelma barbigerum
Metastelma mexicanum
woody, not corky at base, glabrous.
woody and corky at base, densely puberulent in single line.
1 stipular colleter on each side of petiole;
petiole 1.5–4 mm, glabrous;
blade linear, oblong, or lanceolate, 10–45 × 1–18 mm, chartaceous, faintly pinnately veined, base rounded to subcordate, with 1–2 laminar colleters, margins revolute on drying, apex acute to attenuate, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous abaxially, pilosulous on midvein adaxially.
1 stipular colleter on each side of petiole;
petiole 1–2 mm, glabrous or minutely puberulent;
blade linear, 15–40 × 1–2.5 mm, chartaceous, single-veined, base cuneate to rounded, with 1–2 laminar colleters, margins revolute, exaggerated on drying, apex acute, mucronulate, surfaces glabrous abaxially, minutely puberulent adaxially, primarily on midvein.
umbelliform to shortly racemiform, 3–6-flowered;
peduncle 0–0.5 mm.
umbelliform, 2–6-flowered;
peduncle 0–2 mm, densely puberulent.
1–3 mm, glabrous.
2–3 mm, densely puberulent.
calyx lobes ovate, lanceolate, or oblong, apices obtuse to acute, 0.5–1 mm, glabrous, margins scarious, with 1 colleter per sinus;
corolla cream to yellowish cream, campanulate, tube 1 mm, lobes erect with spreading and recurved tips, opening not obscured, linear-lanceolate, 2.5–3.5 mm, abaxially glabrous, adaxially densely long-villous marginally and apically with erect, opaque, flattened hairs, densely hispid centrally with downward-pointing acicular translucent hairs;
corona segments united to base of column, laminar, acicular, 1–1.5 mm, ± as long as gynostegium;
gynostegial column 0.5–0.7 mm;
style apex convex.
calyx lobes linear, apices attenuate, 2–3 mm, puberulent, with 1 colleter per sinus;
corolla cream, campanulate, tube 0.5–1 mm, lobes erect with spreading and recurved tips, opening not obscured, linear-lanceolate, 2–3 mm, abaxially glabrous, adaxially densely short-puberulent apically with opaque, matted, flattened hairs, densely hispid centrally with downward-pointing acicular translucent hairs;
corona segments united to base of column, laminar, linear-elliptic, 1–1.5 mm, slightly shorter than gynostegium;
gynostegium subsessile;
style apex columnar.
10–16, brown, flat to somewhat navicular, 5–6 × 2–3 mm, broadly winged, smooth;
coma white, 2–2.5 cm.
10–16, brown, flat, narrowly winged, minutely tuberculate;
coma white, 1–2 cm.
dark brown, 4–6 × 0.4–0.7 cm, apically acuminate, glabrous.
brown, 4–6 × 0.3–0.5 cm, apically acuminate, glabrous.
= 22.
Metastelma barbigerum
Metastelma mexicanum
Metastelma barbigerum is a morphologically and ecologically variable species. It is the most commonly encountered species of Metastelma in Texas. Plants on the Edwards Plateau are commonly found in more mesic microsites and have much larger leaves than plants found near the coast or in the Rio Grande valley. This name is commonly misapplied to specimens of other species in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Metastelma mexicanum is restricted in the flora area to lower mountain slopes, valleys, and hills in southeastern Arizona (Cochise and Santa Cruz counties) and extreme southwestern New Mexico (Hidalgo County). It is uncommon throughout its range, and reevaluation of its conservation status is warranted. The columnar style apex is unusual in Metastelma, but otherwise the morphology of the species is unremarkable in the genus.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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