Mucronea californica

Bentham

Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 419, plate 20. 1836.

IllustratedEndemic
Synonyms: Chorizanthe californica (Bentham) A. Gray Chorizanthe californica var. suksdorfii J. F. Macbride Mucronea californica var. suksdorfii (J. F. Macbride) Goodman
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 471. Mentioned on page 470.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator:

Copyright:

Plants (0.3–) 0.5–3 (–5) ×1–6 (–8) dm. Leaves: petiole 0.5–3 cm; blade narrowly spatulate to obovate, (0.5–) 1–5 × (0.1–) 0.2–0.8 (–1.2) cm. Inflorescences: bracts 3 (–5), unilateral, spreading to nearly erect, connate for 1/2 their length, triangular to ovate or oblong, becoming acerose only at terminal nodes and then linear to linear-lanceolate, 0.5–1 (–2) cm, apex acute to obtuse; awns 1–2.5 (–3) mm. Involucres 1–3, (2–) 3 (–4) -angled, obscurely ribbed and not corrugate, not ventricose, 2.5–5 (–7) mm; teeth (2–) 3 (–4), spreading to strongly divergent, glandular or slightly hirsute; awns divergent, (0.5–) 1–2.5 (–3) mm. Flowers 1 (–2); perianth 1.5–2.5 (–3) mm, pubescent at least near base abaxially; tepals oblong, entire apically; stamens 6–9; filaments 1–2 (–2.5) mm; anthers 0.5–0.7 mm. Achenes 2–3 mm. 2n = 38.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–Aug.
Habitat: Sandy flats and slopes, coastal grassland, coastal sage and chaparral communities, pine-oak woodlands
Elevation: 0-1000(-1400) m

Distribution

Loading map...
Created with Raphaël 2.2.0
V5 989-distribution-map.gif

Calif.

Discussion

Mucronea californica is found mainly along the Pacific Coast from San Luis Obispo County south to San Diego County and inland in the southern Coast and Transverse ranges from Monterey County to Los Angeles and western Riverside County. Given the extensive urbanization in southern California, California spineflower is now uncommon there. Along the coast, and especially in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, it can be weedy in deep, moving sands. Mucronea californica and M. perfoliata sometimes are found growing together without indication of intergradation.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"connate" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Mucronea californica"
brown;black +
globose-lenticular +
pink +  and red +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> - 0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> +
acute;obtuse +
James L. Reveal +
Bentham +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> - 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> - 0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> +
stipelike +
awn-tipped +  and simple +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> - 1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> - 1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> - 5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> +
narrowly spatulate;obovate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> - 0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> - 2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> +
spreading +  and nearly erect +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
linear +  and linear-lanceolate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> - 1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> +
disarticulating +  and dichotomous +
not brittle +
glandular-pubescent +
just below the soil surface or and above the soil surface +  and spreading +
0-1000 - -1400 m +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> - 0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> - 0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
disarticulating +  and solid +
decumbent to erect +  and prostrate +
unwinged +  and winged +
black +, red +, brown +  and yellowish +
exserted +  and included +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
spheroidal +, 4-gonous +, lenticular +, biconvex +, discoid +, 3-gonous +  and 2-gonous +
Sandy flats and slopes, coastal grassland, coastal sage and chaparral communities, pine-oak woodlands +
uniparous +  and cymose +
cymelike +, paniclelike +, racemelike +  and spikelike +
connate +  and free +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> - 0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> +
not ventricose +  and  - 2-3 - -4-angled +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> - 0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> +
nonmembranous +
in whorls +, opposite +, alternate +  and rosulate +
deciduous +
cauline +  and basal +
bractlike +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
lobed +, undulate +, crisped +, crenulate +  and entire +
glandular-pubescent +
not swollen +
orthotropous +
accrescent +
curved +  and straight +
erect to deflexed +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> - 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> +
cylindric +  and campanulate +
accrescent +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> - 0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> +
fleshy +, indurate +  and membranous +
with extrafloral nectaries +  and not articulate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> - 3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> +
Flowering Mar–Aug. +
homostylous +  and 3-carpellate +
Trans. Linn. Soc. London +
, +  and solid +
slender;stout +
Illustrated +  and Endemic +
6 +  and 9 +
disarticulating +  and solid +
decumbent to spreading or erect +  and prostrate +
erect +  and spreading +
glandular-pubescent +
not fistulose +
penicillate +, fimbriate +  and capitate +
deciduous +  and persistent +
2-lobed +  and cylindric +
coriaceous +  and membranous +
consisting of a series +  and tubular +
distinct +
erect;spreading or recurved +
spreading;erect +
Chorizanthe californica +, Chorizanthe californica var. suksdorfii +  and Mucronea californica var. suksdorfii +
chambered +, , +  and solid +
Mucronea californica +
Mucronea +
species +
erose +, entire +  and monomorphic +
coriaceous +
hirsute;glandular +
persistent +
membranous +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
3 +, 2 +  and 1 +