Streptanthus polygaloides |
Streptanthus longisiliquus |
|
---|---|---|
milkwort jewelflower |
long-fruit jewel-flower |
|
Habit | Annuals; (sometimes glaucous), glabrous throughout. | Perennials; (short-lived, caudex simple or few-branched); (glaucous), usually glabrous throughout, (except sepals pubescent, sometimes also petioles). |
Stems | unbranched or branched distally, (0.8–)2–8(–10) dm. |
branched, 2.2–12(–15) dm. |
Basal leaves | (soon withered); rosulate; petiolate; blade 1- or 2-pinnatifid (with broadly linear to filiform lobes), 2–20 cm, margins sinuate-dentate. |
rosulate (in juvenile plants); petiolate (petioles usually glabrous, rarely ciliate); blade obovate to spatulate, 3.5–10 cm, margins entire. |
Cauline leaves | blade linear, 1–10 cm × 1–3 mm, (smaller distally), base auriculate, margins entire. |
blade broadly oblong to ovate or suborbicular, 2.5–10 cm × 10–35 mm, (smaller distally), base amplexicaul, margins entire. |
Racemes | ebracteate, (lax). |
ebracteate, (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 subcampanulate; sepals yellow-greenish proximally, purple distally, oblong, 6–8 mm, not keeled, (with subapical tuft of hairs); petals purple or brownish (claw yellow-green), 8–12 mm, blade 1–3 × 0.5–0.8 mm, margins not crisped, claw 6–10 mm, wider than blade; stamens in 3 unequal pairs; filaments (distinct): abaxial pair 6–8 mm, lateral pair 4–6 mm, adaxial pair 7–10 mm; anthers (all) fertile, 3.5–5 mm; gynophore 0.3–1 mm. |
Fruiting pedicels | strongly recurved, 2–5 mm. |
divaricate-ascending, (straight), 5–10 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. |
descending, smooth or slightly torulose, arcuate, flattened, 5–13(–15) cm × 2–2.5 mm; valves each with prominent midvein; replum straight; ovules 50–82 per ovary; style 1.5–3.5 mm; stigma entire. |
Seeds | oblong, 1.7–2 × 0.9–1.1 mm; wing 0.2–0.3 mm wide, distal. |
oblong, 2.2–3 × 1.4–1.8 mm; wing 0.1–0.4 mm wide, continuous. |
2n | = 28. |
|
Streptanthus polygaloides |
Streptanthus longisiliquus |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | Flowering May–Jul. |
Habitat | Serpentine substrates in grasslands, openings chaparral, oak and pine woodlands | Openings in pine forests, oak woodland |
Elevation | 200-1900 m (700-6200 ft) | 400-1700 m (1300-5600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA
|
CA |
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.) |
Streptanthus longisiliquus is known from Butte, Shasta, and Tehama counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 7, p. 720. | FNA vol. 7, p. 717. |
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) | G. L. Clifton & R. E. Buck: Madroño 54: 94, fig. 1. (2007) |
Web links |