Flora of North America species comparison

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Thermopsis californica var. californica
Photo is of parent taxon

California goldenbanner
Habit Herbs 3–8(–9) dm, sparsely to densely tomentose or villous.
Branches

weakly to moderately zigzag.
Leaves

stipules widely to narrowly ovate, 2.5–6.5 × 1.5–5 cm, base cuneate to amplexicaul;

petiole 1.5–3.5 cm;

leaflet blades elliptic to obovate or rhombic, 3.5–7(–9) × 2–4(–4.5) cm, apex obtuse to acute.
Racemes

12–40-flowered, 10–30(–35) cm.
Peduncles

(4–)6–10 cm;

bracts widely ovate to nearly lanceolate, 6–15(–30) × 3–15(–20) mm.
Flowers

calyx 5–8(–9) × 6–9 mm at limb, lobes 2.5–5 mm;

wing and keel petals oblong-elliptic;

ovules 5–8.
Legumes

3–5.5 × 0.6–0.7 cm.
Seeds

3–5(–10), 4 × 2.8 mm.

Thermopsis californica var. californica
Phenology Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Chaparral.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Variety californica is the more commonly encountered and more variable taxon of the Thermopsis californica complex. It is distinguished from vars. argentata and semota by its larger habit, broader stipules and bracts, and sparsely to densely tomentose vestiture.

Variety californica occurs in coastal regions of central California, mostly in chaparral.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Thermopsis > Thermopsis californica
Sibling taxa
T. californica var. argentata, T. californica var. semota
Name authority unknown
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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