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tall snapdragon, twig-like snapdragon

Nuttall's snapdragon, violet snapdragon

Habit Perennials. Annuals, rarely biennials.
Stems

40–220 cm, self-supporting, glabrous;

branches not twining.

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

branches twining.

Leaves

alternate;

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

opposite proximally, alternate distally;

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

Inflorescences

terminal, racemes.

axillary, flowers solitary.

Pedicels

2–6 mm.

2–20(–25) mm.

Flowers

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.

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

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

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

Seeds

black, 1–1.5 mm, ridges reticulate.

brown, 0.5–1 mm, ridged longitudinally.

2n

= 32.

= 32.

Sairocarpus virga

Sairocarpus nuttallianus

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering Mar–Aug.
Habitat Openings in chaparral, rocky areas, often on serpentine. Stabilized coastal dunes, rocky or disturbed areas.
Elevation 200–2000 m. (700–6600 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

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.)

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