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milkwort jewelflower

Socrates mine jewelflower

Habit Annuals; (sometimes glaucous), glabrous throughout. Biennials; (somewhat glaucous), glabrous throughout.
Stems

unbranched or branched distally, (0.8–)2–8(–10) dm.

usually branched basally, rarely unbranched, 1.4–5(–6) dm.

Basal leaves

(soon withered); rosulate; petiolate;

blade 1- or 2-pinnatifid (with broadly linear to filiform lobes), 2–20 cm, margins sinuate-dentate.

(soon withered); rosulate; shortly petiolate;

blade (fleshy, mottled), broadly obovate to suborbicular, 1.5–4 cm, margins coarsely dentate.

Cauline leaves

blade linear, 1–10 cm × 1–3 mm, (smaller distally), base auriculate, margins entire.

blade ovate to cordate, 0.7–3.7cm × 3–15 mm (smaller distally), base auriculate to amplexicaul, margins serrate-dentate or entire.

Racemes

ebracteate, (lax).

ebracteate, (lax, sometimes secund).

Flowers

(markedly zygomorphic);

calyx urceolate;

sepals greenish yellow or purplish, (abaxial broadly ovate, not keeled, 4–6 × 3–4 mm, lateral ovate-lanceolate, keeled, 4–6 × 1.5–2 mm, adaxial suborbicular to broadly ovate-cordate, forming a bannerlike hood, keeled, 4–6 × 6–8 mm);

petals white (with brownish veins), 5–8 mm, blade 1–3 × 0.7–1.2 mm, margins crisped (channeled), claw 4–5 mm, wider than blade;

stamens in 3 unequal pairs;

filaments: abaxial pair (distinct), 4–5 mm, lateral pair 3–4 mm, adaxial pair (connate), 5–6 mm;

anthers: abaxial and lateral pairs fertile, 1.5–2 mm, adaxial pairs sterile, 0.3–0.7 mm;

gynophore 0.1–0.4 mm.

calyx urceolate;

sepals (erect), rose-purple (to yellowish at base), (ovate), 5–7 mm, keeled, (apex recurved);

petals whitish, (abaxial pair with purple spot, adaxial pair faintly purple-veined), 7–10 mm, blade 1.5–3 × 1–1.5 mm, margins not crisped, claw 5–7 mm, as wide as or wider than blade;

stamens in 3 unequal pairs;

filaments: abaxial pair (connate to middle), 4–7 mm, lateral pair 2–4 mm, adaxial pair (completely connate, usually recurved), 8–10 mm;

anthers: abaxial and lateral pairs fertile, 2–2.5 mm, adaxial pair sterile, 0.7–1.2 mm;

gynophore 0.3–0.7 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

strongly recurved, 2–5 mm.

divaricate-ascending, (straight), 1–2 mm.

Fruits

pendent, smooth, straight, flattened, 2.4–5.6 cm × 1.2–1.7 mm;

valves each with obscure or somewhat prominent midvein;

replum straight;

ovules (10–)18–50 per ovary;

style 0.8–2 mm;

stigma entire.

divaricate-ascending, torulose, nearly straight, flattened, 4–6 cm × 1–1.3 mm;

valves each with obscure midvein;

replum constricted between seeds;

ovules 22–30 per ovary;

style 0.1–0.4 mm;

stigma subentire.

Seeds

oblong, 1.7–2 × 0.9–1.1 mm;

wing 0.2–0.3 mm wide, distal.

oblong, 1.8–2.5 × 0.7–0.9 mm;

wing 0–0.1 mm wide distally.

2n

= 28.

= 28.

Streptanthus polygaloides

Streptanthus brachiatus

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Serpentine substrates in grasslands, openings chaparral, oak and pine woodlands Serpentine barrens in chaparral, pine-oak or cypress woodland openings
Elevation 200-1900 m (700-6200 ft) 600-1000 m (2000-3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Streptanthus polygaloides is highly variable in plant height, flower color, fruit size, and dissection of basal leaves. Further studies may lead to recognition of infraspecific taxa. The species is distributed in Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Mariposa, Nevada, Sierra, Tuolumne, and Yuba counties.

Streptanthus polygaloides is one of the few nickel hyperaccumulators in the flora area, and it averages 2,430–18,600 µg/g dry weight (R. D. Reeves et al. 1981; A. R. Kruckeberg and Reeves 1995).

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

Of conservation concern.

Streptanthus brachiatus is known from Lake and Sonoma counties. At the time that R. W. Dolan and L. F. LaPré (1989) studied it, infraspecific taxa based on differences in sepal color and pubescence seemed distinct (R. E. Buck et al. 1993). Populations discovered since then do not accord with the putative differences.

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

Source FNA vol. 7, p. 720. FNA vol. 7, p. 706.
Parent taxa Brassicaceae > tribe Thelypodieae > Streptanthus Brassicaceae > tribe Thelypodieae > Streptanthus
Sibling taxa
S. barbatus, S. barbiger, S. batrachopus, S. bernardinus, S. brachiatus, S. bracteatus, S. breweri, S. callistus, S. campestris, S. carinatus, S. cordatus, S. cutleri, S. diversifolius, S. drepanoides, S. farnsworthianus, S. fenestratus, S. glandulosus, S. gracilis, S. hesperidis, S. hispidus, S. howellii, S. hyacinthoides, S. insignis, S. longisiliquus, S. maculatus, S. morrisonii, S. oblanceolatus, S. oliganthus, S. petiolaris, S. platycarpus, S. squamiformis, S. tortuosus, S. vernalis, S. vimineus
S. barbatus, S. barbiger, S. batrachopus, S. bernardinus, S. bracteatus, S. breweri, S. callistus, S. campestris, S. carinatus, S. cordatus, S. cutleri, S. diversifolius, S. drepanoides, S. farnsworthianus, S. fenestratus, S. glandulosus, S. gracilis, S. hesperidis, S. hispidus, S. howellii, S. hyacinthoides, S. insignis, S. longisiliquus, S. maculatus, S. morrisonii, S. oblanceolatus, S. oliganthus, S. petiolaris, S. platycarpus, S. polygaloides, S. squamiformis, S. tortuosus, S. vernalis, S. vimineus
Synonyms Microsemia polygaloides S. brachiatus subsp. hoffmanii
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 519. (1865) F. W. Hoffman: Madroño 11: 230, fig. 5. (1952)
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