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indigo-bush, Schott's dalea, Schott's indigo-bush

smoke tree

Habit Shrubs. Trees, small, rounded, appearing shrublike when young.
Stems

1–2.5 dm, eglandular and usually glabrous or sparsely strigulose when young, rarely canescent.

70(–100) dm, gland-dotted distally when young, glands orange, silvery-silky to glabrate.

Branches

divaricate;

sterile shoots on shorter lateral branches sharp-tipped.

divergent;

sterile shoots sharp-tipped or thornlike.

Leaves

unifoliolate or pinnate, (0.7–)1–3 cm;

leaflets 1 (or 3), blades linear, 6–30 mm, terminal leaflet longer than laterals, surfaces usually glabrous with glandular margins abaxially, densely silvery-pubescent adaxially.

unifoliolate, 0.2–2.2 cm, leaflet 1, blade oblanceolate or cuneate-oblanceolate, surfaces gland-tipped abaxially, strigulose.

Racemes

loose;

rachis without thornlike tip in anthesis, 1–9 cm;

bracts triangular-subulate, 0.5–1.3 mm;

bracteoles present.

loose;

rachis with thornlike tip in anthesis, 1–4 cm;

bracts ovate, 0.5–8 mm;

bracteoles present.

Flowers

calyx (4–)4.6–5.7(–6.5) mm, glabrous or strigulose externally, tube (2.8–)3.3–4.3(–4.6) mm, ribs prominent, narrow abaxial intervals each with 1–5 glands in 1 row, broader adaxial intervals each with 1–17 glands in 2 rows, lobes ovate-deltate to triangular, abaxial lobe slightly shorter and narrower;

corolla deep blue, banner with yellow eye;

banner flabellate, (6.4–)7.1–10.5 mm, tapered to cuneate claw, apex retuse;

wings broadly oblong, (6–)7–8.6 × 3–4.2 mm;

keel broadly oblong, (6.1–)6.5–8(–8.8) × 3.7–4.7 mm;

stamens 7–11 mm;

filaments distinct to 3.5–6.5 mm;

anthers 0.9–1.3 mm, connective not gland-tipped.

calyx 4.5–5.2 mm, silky-strigulose, tube 3–3.8 mm, ribs not prominent, intervals each with (0 or)1(or 2) large glands, lobes ovate, abaxial lobe shorter;

corolla indigo-blue;

banner obcordate, 6.4–7.5 mm, base auriculate, claw linear to cuneate;

wings broadly oblanceolate, 5.5–6.8 × (2.4–)3–4.5 mm;

keel obovate, 6.6–8.2 × 4.2–5.4 mm;

stamens 9.5–11.5 mm;

filaments distinct to 4.1–4.9 mm;

anthers 0.7–1.1 mm, connective gland-tipped.

Legumes

obovoid, 7–10 mm, with large, separate glands, puberulent distally.

obovoid, 3–4 mm, with several glands proximally, pilosulous distally.

Seeds

6–8 mm.

rarely 2, 3 mm.

2n

= 20.

Psorothamnus schottii

Psorothamnus spinosus

Phenology Flowering (fall–)late winter–early spring(–late spring). Flowering late spring–mid summer (fall).
Habitat Rocky and sandy desert flats, slopes, washes. Rocky or sandy deserts, wetter areas.
Elevation 5–800 m. (0–2600 ft.) -70–400 m. (-200–1300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

In California, Psorothamnus schottii is known from the Sonoran Desert regions in the very southeastern parts of the state.

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

Leaves of Psorothamnus spinosus are not retained for long; most of the time, the tree crown consists of a rounded mass of silvery branches. In California, P. spinosus is known from the desert areas in the southeastern part of the state.

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

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Psorothamnus Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Psorothamnus
Sibling taxa
P. arborescens, P. emoryi, P. fremontii, P. kingii, P. polydenius, P. scoparius, P. spinosus, P. thompsoniae
P. arborescens, P. emoryi, P. fremontii, P. kingii, P. polydenius, P. schottii, P. scoparius, P. thompsoniae
Synonyms Dalea schottii Dalea spinosa
Name authority (Torrey) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 31. (1977) (A. Gray) Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 27: 25. (1977)
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