Annuals. Stems 12–150 cm, seldom self-supporting, basally hairy, otherwise glabrous; branches twining. Leaves opposite proximally, basal rosette sometimes present, alternate distally; blade lanceolate to linear, 20–50 (–110) × 1–5 (–25) mm, surfaces glabrous or slightly villous. Inflorescences terminal, racemes. Pedicels 1–5 mm. Flowers cleistogamous and chasmogamous; calyx lobes equal to subequal, glandular-hairy, adaxial lobe 3–6 × 0.5–1 mm; corolla white to light purple, 9–12 mm, base gibbous, mouth 1–1.5 (–2) mm diam., palate purple-spotted, rounded, 4–8 mm diam., glandular-hairy. Capsules narrowly ovoid, 5–10 mm, sparsely glandular-hairy, abaxial locule indehiscent. Seeds black, 1 mm, longitudinally ridged, reticulate. 2n = 30.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat: Coastal and desert scrub, burned slopes.
Elevation: 0–2700 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif., Mexico (Baja California)

Discussion

The relatively large, rounded palates make the flowers of Sairocarpus coulterianus distinctive. Plants growing in chaparral and coastal sage habitats usually have basal rosettes. Sometimes, the racemes develop an elongate, prehensile tip. Sairocarpus coulterianus is known from the southern Outer South Coastal Ranges, southwestern mainland California, and the northwestern edge of the Sonoran Desert.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.