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dimorphic snapdragon

Nuttall's snapdragon, violet snapdragon

Habit Annuals. Annuals, rarely biennials.
Stems

8–90 cm, not self-supporting, hairy;

branches twining.

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

branches twining.

Leaves

opposite proximally, alternate distally;

blade ovate, 10–60 × 5–45 mm, surfaces glabrous, glandular-hairy, or eglandular-hairy.

opposite proximally, alternate distally;

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

Inflorescences

axillary, racemes or flowers solitary.

axillary, flowers solitary.

Pedicels

1–3 mm.

2–20(–25) mm.

Flowers

chasmogamous;

calyx lobes unequal, hairy or glandular-hairy, adaxial lobe 8–14 × 5–10 mm;

corolla white to tan, 13–17 mm, base gibbous, mouth 2.5–3.5 mm diam., palate not veined, slightly 2-lobed, 5–9 mm diam., tomentose.

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.

Capsules

narrowly ovoid, 5–6 mm, glandular-hairy, abaxial locule with 1 pore.

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

Seeds

dark brown to black, 1 mm, tuberculate, reticulate-ridged.

brown, 0.5–1 mm, ridged longitudinally.

2n

= 30.

= 32.

Sairocarpus subcordatus

Sairocarpus nuttallianus

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering Mar–Aug.
Habitat Open slopes on serpentine, under shrubs. Stabilized coastal dunes, rocky or disturbed areas.
Elevation 150–800 m. (500–2600 ft.) 0–1300 m. (0–4300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Sairocarpus subcordatus is similar to S. vexillocalyculatus; it has relatively broader leaves and white to tan corollas with abaxial lobes reflexed. The species is known from the northern and central Inner North Coast Ranges.

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

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.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 47. FNA vol. 17, p. 46.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Sairocarpus Plantaginaceae > Sairocarpus
Sibling taxa
S. cornutus, S. coulterianus, S. kingii, S. multiflorus, S. nuttallianus, S. vexillocalyculatus, S. virga, S. watsonii
S. cornutus, S. coulterianus, S. kingii, S. multiflorus, S. subcordatus, S. vexillocalyculatus, S. virga, S. watsonii
Synonyms Antirrhinum subcordatum Antirrhinum nuttallianum, A. nuttallianum subsp. subsessile, A. nuttallianum var. subsessile, A. pusillum, A. subsessile, S. pusillus
Name authority (A. Gray) D. A. Sutton: Revis. Antirrhineae, 477. (1988) (Bentham ex A. de Candolle) D. A. Sutton: Revis. Antirrhineae, 464. (1988)
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