Collinsia heterophylla
Bot. Mag. 65: plate 3695. 1838.
Annuals 10–50 cm. Stems erect to ascending. Leaf-blades lanceolate-deltate, margins serrate. Inflorescences glabrous or hairy, ± glandular; whorls 2–7 on main axis; nodes 2–7-flowered; flowers crowded; distalmost bracts linear to lanceolate, 5–6 mm. Pedicels ascending to spreading, shorter than calyx, not or scarcely visible. Flowers: caly× lobes linear to ovate, equal to capsule, ape× subacute to acute; corolla red-purple, rarely white, banner white to lavender or tipped dark violet, maroon spots near center and forming horizontal lines near base, wings whitish to rose-purple, keel usually with darker red tip, 10–20 mm, usually glabrous; tube hairy inside, as wide as long, saccate basally, adaxial pouch prominent and ± square; banner length 0.6–0.9 times wings, lobe base without folds; stamens: abaxial filaments glabrous, adaxials hairy, basal spur 1. Seeds 6–12, ovate, 1.5–2 mm, margins slightly thickened, inrolled. 2n = 14.
Distribution
Calif., nw Mexico
Discussion
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Collinsia heterophylla is the most widespread and frequently encountered species in California. There is structure in phylogenetic analysis of northern and southern populations (that is, paraphyly of southern populations) suggesting northward expansion and evidence for introgression with C. tinctoria (B. G. Baldwin et al. 2011) in the southern Sierra Nevada (Kern County and possibly Fresno County). This species is often confused with other collinsias that have tiered whorls of flowers, most frequently with C. bartsiifolia and C. concolor, which both lack the bold horizontal line present at the base of the adaxial corolla lip of C. heterophylla. Plants with reduced corolla pigmentation, nearly white, are uncommon outside of the South Coast Ranges and are often misidentified as C. bartsiifolia.
Collinsia bicolor Bentham, which pertains here, is a later homonym of C. bicolor Rafinesque, a synonym of 1. C. verna.
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Corollas (13–)15–20 mm; leaf blade abaxial surfaces glabrous, midveins rarely hairy; banner lengths 0.8–0.9 times wings, reflexed portions 4+ times basal portions. | Collinsia heterophylla var. heterophylla |
| 1 | Corollas 10–15(–18) mm; leaf blade abaxial surfaces sparsely hairy; banner lengths 0.6–0.8 times wings, reflexed portions 2–3 times basal portions. | Collinsia heterophylla var. austromontana |