Arctomecon

Torrey & Frémont in J. C. Frémont

in J. C. Frémont, Rep. Exped. Rocky Mts., 312. 1845.

Common names: Desert bearclaw-poppy
Etymology: Greek arktos, bear, alluding to the long-pilose pubescence, and mekon, poppy
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA03 p58 Eschscholzia Arctomecon pg 312.jpegArctomecon californica
Eschscholzia lobbii
Eschscholzia lemmonii subsp. lemmonii
Arctomecon humilis
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers

Herbs, perennial, evergreen, cespitose, scapose or very short-caulescent and subscapose, from taproots. Stems (caudices) when present leafy, erect, branching, covered with marcescent leaf-bases. Leaves all or mostly basal and rosulate, petiolate; blade cuneate to fan-shaped, 1×-lobed distally, glaucous, long-pilose, hairs flexuous, barbed; margins entire; lobes acute, long-bristled. Inflorescences terminal, cymiform, simple or branching; bracts present; buds nodding. Flowers: sepals 2 or 3, distinct; petals persistent, 4 or 6; stamens many; pistil 3-6-carpellate; ovary 1-locular; style 1 and short, or absent; stigmas 1 per carpel, connate, capitate, cordately 2-lobed. Capsules erect, 3-6-valved, dehiscing from apex leaving persistent placental ribs unseparated at apex, valve tips recurving. Seeds several to many, dark-brown, shining, ovoid, 1.5-3 mm, aril present. x = 12.

Distribution

North America (Mojave Desert)

Discussion

Species 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Petals 4, 1.2–2.5 cm, marcescent; leaf blades minutely hirsute but only sparsely long-pilose. Arctomecon humilis
1 Petals 6, 2.5–4 cm, caducous; leaf blades copiously long-pilose. > 2
2 Inflorescences 1(–6)-flowered; flower buds long-pilose; petals white. Arctomecon merriamii
2 Inflorescences 3–20-flowered; flower buds glabrous; petals deep yellow. Arctomecon californica
... more about "Arctomecon"
Susan E. Meyer +
Torrey & Frémont in J. C. Frémont +
palmate +  and subpalmate +
long-pilose;glaucous +
1×-lobed +, cuneate +  and fan-shaped +
unseparated +
Desert bearclaw-poppy +
North America (Mojave Desert) +
Greek arktos, bear, alluding to the long-pilose pubescence, and mekon, poppy +
sessile +, pedicellate +  and symmetric +
transverse +, poricidal +, valvate +  and dehiscence +
flexuous +
branching +, simple +  and cymiform +
paniculate +  and racemose +
terminal +  and axillary +
long-bristled +  and acute +
1-2-locular or +  and incompletely completely multilocular +
persistent +
distinct +
6 +  and 4 +
obovate +
2 times number of sepals +
3-6-carpellate +
in J. C. Frémont, Rep. Exped. Rocky Mts., +
persistent +
colored +, white +  and clear +
carunculate +  and arillate +
dark-brown +
several;many +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
distinct +
3 +  and 2 +
obovate +
branching +  and leafy +
Arctomecon +
Papaveraceae +
subscapose +, short-caulescent +  and scapose +
evergreen +  and perennial +
herb +  and cespitose +