Brandegea bigelovii

(S. Watson) Cogniaux

Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 2, 3: 58. 1890.

Common names: Desert starvine
Illustrated
Basionym: Elaterium bigelovii S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 252. 1877
Synonyms: Brandegea monosperma (Brandegee) Cogniaux B. palmeri (S. Watson) Rose B. parviflora (S. Watson) Rose Vaseyanthus insularis var. palmeri (S. Watson) Gentry
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 18.

Vines sprawling, trailing, or climbing over associated plants, often completely covering them, stems to 2 (–4) m. Leaves: petiole 8–25 mm; blade 1.5–5 (–7) cm, base cordate to convex, lobes broader and shallower on juvenile growth, narrower (to linear-oblong) on distal stems, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface and margins pustulate-scabrous to pustulate-hirsutulous. Staminate inflorescences 2–4 cm. Capsules 0.5–1.2 cm, beak (3–) 4–7 mm. Seeds 4–5 mm.


Phenology: Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Apr(–later sporadically).
Habitat: Desert wash bottoms and banks, cliffs, canyons, moist areas from tank seeps, roadsides, Larrea flats, Sonoran desert scrub, upland Sonoran desert scrub, desert riparian zones, commonly with Acacia, Ambrosia, Atriplex, Cercidium, Larrea, Lycium, Olneya, Parkinsonia, Prosopis
Elevation: 20–600(–800) m

Distribution

V6 23-distribution-map.jpg

Ariz., Calif., Mexico (Baja California), Mexico (Baja California Sur), Mexico (Sonora)

Discussion

Plants of Brandegea bigelovii are cultivated for the beauty of their clusters of white staminate flowers. Garden plants in Tucson flower from February through the summer, except during extreme heat. According to R. S. Felger (2000), B. bigelovii is the most common and widespread vining plant in northwestern Sonora.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"broader" is not a number.

... more about "Brandegea bigelovii"
pustulate-scabrous;pustulate-hirsutulous +
pustulate-scabrous;pustulate-hirsutulous +
distinct +  and connate +
Guy L. Nesom +
(S. Watson) Cogniaux +
cordate +  and convex +
Elaterium bigelovii +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
suborbiculate;shallowly deeply palmately 3(-5)-lobed +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
tubular +, saucer--shaped +, campanulate +  and rotate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
Desert starvine +
rotate;shallowly cupulate +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Mexico (Baja California) +, Mexico (Baja California Sur) +  and Mexico (Sonora) +
20–600(–800) m +
furrowed +  and echinate +
dehiscent +  and indehiscent +
bristly +, smooth +, hairy +  and glabrous +
tuberculate +  and muricate +
fleshy +  and hard +
pistillate +  and staminate +
subaculeate +, short-echinate +, thin-walled +  and capsular +
compressed +, gibbous +, obovoid +  and suborbicular +
narrower +
Desert wash bottoms and banks, cliffs, canDesert wash bottoms and banks, cliffs, canyons, moist areas from tank seeps, roadsides, Larrea flats, Sonoran desert scrub, upland Sonoran desert scrub, desert riparian zones, commonly with Acacia, Ambrosia, Atriplex, Cercidium, Larrea, Lycium, Olneya, Parkinsonia, Prosopisrea, Lycium, Olneya, Parkinsonia, Prosopis +
perennial +
dioecious +  and monoecious +
solitary +, corymbose +, fasciculate +, racemose +  and paniculate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
petiolate +, estipulate +  and simple +
ovate;linear-oblong +
shallower +
fimbriate +
not differentiated +
fusiform-rostrate +
induplicate-valvate +  and imbricate +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
nearly +  and distinct +
triangular;ovate or narrowly oblong-triangular +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Apr(–later sporadically). +
Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. +
slender-fibrous +
not arillate +
compressed +, subcylindric-clavate +  and obdeltoid +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
differentiated +
Illustrated +
3 +  and 5 +
200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br /> (400 cm4,000 mm <br />4 m <br />) +
climbing +  and procumbent +
sprawling +  and prostrate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br />) +
2-lobed +, depressed-globose +  and hemispheric +
1 +  and 3 +
columnar +
muriculate +  and warty +
Brandegea monosperma +, B. palmeri +, B. parviflora +  and Vaseyanthus insularis var. palmeri +
Brandegea bigelovii +
Brandegea +
species +
twisted-contorted +
not fused +  and connate +
horseshoe--shaped +
vine +  and climbing +