Sairocarpus watsonii
Sairocarpus coulterianus
Watson's snapdragon
Coulter's snapdragon
8–85 cm, not self-supporting, basally hairy, otherwise glabrous;
branches twining.
12–150 cm, seldom self-supporting, basally hairy, otherwise glabrous;
branches twining.
opposite proximally, alternate distally;
blade linear, 5–55 × 1–4 mm, surfaces glabrous.
opposite proximally, basal rosette sometimes present, alternate distally;
blade lanceolate to linear, 20–50(–110) × 1–5(–25) mm, surfaces glabrous or slightly villous.
axillary, flowers solitary.
terminal, racemes.
4–25(–30) mm.
1–5 mm.
cleistogamous and chasmogamous;
calyx lobes equal, glandular-hairy, adaxial lobe 2.5–4 × 1–1.5 mm;
corolla light purple, purple-veined, 5.5–7 mm, base barely gibbous, mouth 2–2.5 mm diam., palate purple-veined, angular, 2.5–4 mm diam., minutely papillate.
cleistogamous and chasmogamous;
calyx lobes equal to subequal, glandular-hairy, adaxial lobe 3–6 × 0.5–1 mm;
corolla white to light purple, 9–12 mm, base gibbous, mouth 1–1.5(–2) mm diam., palate purple-spotted, rounded, 4–8 mm diam., glandular-hairy.
globular-ovoid, 2.5–6 mm, glandular-hairy, abaxial locule with 1 pore.
narrowly ovoid, 5–10 mm, sparsely glandular-hairy, abaxial locule indehiscent.
black, 0.6–1 mm, tuberculate.
black, 1 mm, longitudinally ridged, reticulate.
= 30.
= 30.
Sairocarpus watsonii
Sairocarpus coulterianus
The only North American collections of Sairocarpus watsonii are from Organ Pipe National Monument in Pima County. Sairocarpus watsonii is similar to S. kingii, which grows farther north and has unequal sepals.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The relatively large, rounded palates make the flowers of Sairocarpus coulterianus distinctive. Plants growing in chaparral and coastal sage habitats usually have basal rosettes. Sometimes, the racemes develop an elongate, prehensile tip. Sairocarpus coulterianus is known from the southern Outer South Coastal Ranges, southwestern mainland California, and the northwestern edge of the Sonoran Desert.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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