Streptanthus polygaloides |
Streptanthus campestris |
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milkwort jewelflower |
southern jewel flower |
|
Habit | Annuals; (sometimes glaucous), glabrous throughout. | Perennials; (short-lived, caudex not woody); usually glabrous, (basal leaf blade margins pubescent, sometimes sepals). |
Stems | unbranched or branched distally, (0.8–)2–8(–10) dm. |
unbranched or branched, (few, glaucous), 6–15(–18) dm. |
Basal leaves | (soon withered); rosulate; petiolate; blade 1- or 2-pinnatifid (with broadly linear to filiform lobes), 2–20 cm, margins sinuate-dentate. |
often rosulate; petiolate; blade (fleshy), oblanceolate to obovate, 3.5–21 cm, margins dentate, (bristly ciliate throughout or only teeth and petiole ciliate). |
Cauline leaves | blade linear, 1–10 cm × 1–3 mm, (smaller distally), base auriculate, margins entire. |
blade lanceolate to narrowly ovate, 3.5–11(–15) cm × 6–14 mm (smaller distally), base auriculate to amplexicaul, margins usually entire or undulate, rarely dentate. |
Racemes | ebracteate, (lax). |
ebracteate, (with densely clustered buds, later lax). |
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 campanulate; sepals (suberect), purple, (broadly ovate or oblong), 7–10 mm, not keeled, (apically bristly or not); petals light purple (with pale yellow claw), 9–12 mm, blade 2–3.5 × 0.5–1 mm, margins not crisped, claw 6–9 mm, wider than blade; stamens tetradynamous; filaments: median pairs (distinct), 6–8 mm, lateral pair 4–6 mm; anthers (all) fertile, 3–4 mm; gynophore 0.5–1.5 mm. |
Fruiting pedicels | strongly recurved, 2–5 mm. |
divaricate-ascending, (straight), 5–18 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. |
spreading to ascending, smooth, slightly curved to straight, flattened, 6–14 cm × 2–3.5 mm; valves each with obscure midvein; replum straight; ovules 50–102 per ovary; style 1–3 mm; stigma 2-lobed. |
Seeds | oblong, 1.7–2 × 0.9–1.1 mm; wing 0.2–0.3 mm wide, distal. |
oblong, 2–3 × 1.4–2 mm; wing 0.1–0.2 mm wide at apex. |
2n | = 28. |
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Streptanthus polygaloides |
Streptanthus campestris |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Serpentine substrates in grasslands, openings chaparral, oak and pine woodlands | Rocky openings in chaparral, open conifer forests, openings and after fires in chaparral-oak woodlands |
Elevation | 200-1900 m (700-6200 ft) | 900-2300 m (3000-7500 ft) |
Distribution |
CA
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CA; Mexico (Baja California)
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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 campestris is distributed in California in Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, and in Baja California in Sierra San Pedro Mártir and Sierra Juárez. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 7, p. 720. | FNA vol. 7, p. 707. |
Parent taxa | Brassicaceae > tribe Thelypodieae > Streptanthus | Brassicaceae > tribe Thelypodieae > Streptanthus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Microsemia polygaloides | |
Name authority | A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 519. (1865) | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 25: 125. (1890) |
Web links |