Cistanthe ambigua

(S. Watson) Carolin ex Hershkovitz

Phytologia 68: 269. 1990.

Illustrated
Basionym: Claytonia ambigua S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 365. 1882
Synonyms: Calandrinia ambigua (S. Watson) Howell
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 462. Mentioned on page 459, 461.

Plants annual, roots fleshy. Stems spreading to erect, 3–18 cm. Leaves cauline, not forming basal rosette; blade linear to spatulate, ± terete, 1.5–6 cm, not glaucous. Inflorescences paniculate with umbellike clusters, dense, usually not exceeding leaves. Flowers pedicellate; sepals ovate, slightly unequal, 2–5 mm, herbaceous, margins white-scarious; petals disarticulate in fruit, 3–5, white, 2–5 mm; stamens 5–10, anther yellow; style present; stigmas 3; pedicel 1–3 mm. Capsules ovoid, 1–4 mm; valves 3. Seeds 6–15, black, ovoid, 1–2 mm, smooth, shiny, reticulate at 30×, not white-hairy.


Phenology: Flowering Nov–Feb.
Habitat: Sandy washes and slopes, desert shrub communities
Elevation: 0-500 m

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Cistanthe ambigua"
Walter A. Kelley +, John M. Miller +  and John G. Packer +
(S. Watson) Carolin ex Hershkovitz +
Claytonia ambigua +
occasionally dentate;crisped +
not glaucous +
terete +, linear +  and spatulate +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
subtending +
unequal +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +
Ariz. +, Calif. +  and Mexico +
0-500 m +
Sandy washes and slopes, desert shrub communities +
bracteate +, leafy +, 1-many-flowered +, secund +, cymose +  and umbellate +
not articulate +
subrosulate +, rosulate +, alternate +, subopposite +  and opposite +
not reflexed +
white-scarious +
plurilocular +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
distinct +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Flowering Nov–Feb. +
strophiolate +
not white-hairy +
6 +  and 15 +
sculptured +  and smooth +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +
persistent +
distinct +
unequal +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
herbaceous;scarious +
Illustrated +
5 +  and 10 +
branched +  and simple +
spreading +  and erect +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (18 cm180 mm <br />0.18 m <br />) +
Calandrinia ambigua +
Cistanthe ambigua +
Cistanthe +
species +
not deciduous +
stoloniferous +  and not rhizomatous +