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Nuttall's snapdragon, violet snapdragon

tall snapdragon, twig-like snapdragon

Habit Annuals, rarely biennials. Perennials.
Stems

6–200 cm, not self-supporting, glandular-hairy;

branches twining.

40–220 cm, self-supporting, glabrous;

branches not twining.

Leaves

opposite proximally, alternate distally;

blade ovate, 2–60 × 1–50 mm, surfaces glandular-hairy.

alternate;

blade linear, 50–120 × 3–10 mm, surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

axillary, flowers solitary.

terminal, racemes.

Pedicels

2–20(–25) mm.

2–6 mm.

Flowers

cleistogamous and chasmogamous;

calyx lobes equal, glandular-hairy, adaxial lobe 3–6 × 1–3.5 mm;

corolla pale purple to purple, sometimes dark-veined, 7–12 mm, base slightly gibbous, mouth 2.5–3.5 mm diam., palate white, purple-veined, rounded, 2.5–6 mm diam., puberulent.

chasmogamous;

calyx lobes equal, glabrous, adaxial lobe 6–8 × 1.5–2.5 mm;

corolla pink to pale pink, 13–18 mm, base gibbous, mouth 3–5 mm diam., palate not veined, rounded, 5–7.5 mm diam., puberulent.

Capsules

ovoid, 3–11 mm, glandular-hairy, abaxial locule with 1 pore.

globular-ovoid, 7–9 mm, glabrous, abaxial locule with 2 pores.

Seeds

brown, 0.5–1 mm, ridged longitudinally.

black, 1–1.5 mm, ridges reticulate.

2n

= 32.

= 32.

Sairocarpus nuttallianus

Sairocarpus virga

Phenology Flowering Mar–Aug. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Stabilized coastal dunes, rocky or disturbed areas. Openings in chaparral, rocky areas, often on serpentine.
Elevation 0–1300 m. (0–4300 ft.) 200–2000 m. (700–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants of Sairocarpus nuttallianus are unique in having gold-colored hairs in the mouth of the corolla. D. M. Thompson (1988) recognized two intergrading subspecies based on degree of hairiness and slight differences in seed sculpturing, but the differences are minor and inconsistent.

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

Stems of Sairocarpus virga regrow quickly after fires (D. M. Thompson 1988).

Sairocarpus virga is known from the southern High and Inner North Coast ranges.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 46. FNA vol. 17, p. 48.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Sairocarpus Plantaginaceae > Sairocarpus
Sibling taxa
S. cornutus, S. coulterianus, S. kingii, S. multiflorus, S. subcordatus, S. vexillocalyculatus, S. virga, S. watsonii
S. cornutus, S. coulterianus, S. kingii, S. multiflorus, S. nuttallianus, S. subcordatus, S. vexillocalyculatus, S. watsonii
Synonyms Antirrhinum nuttallianum, A. nuttallianum subsp. subsessile, A. nuttallianum var. subsessile, A. pusillum, A. subsessile, S. pusillus Antirrhinum virga
Name authority (Bentham ex A. de Candolle) D. A. Sutton: Revis. Antirrhineae, 464. (1988) (A. Gray) D. A. Sutton: Revis. Antirrhineae, 466. (1988)
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