Boerhavia coulteri var. palmeri

(S. Watson) Spellenberg

Sida 20: 153. 2002.

Basionym: Boerhavia spicata var. palmeri S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 24: 70. 1889 (as Boerhaavia)
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 28. Mentioned on page 27.

Stems 2–7 (–15) dm. Leaf-blades 15–40 × 10–30 mm. Flowers: pedicel 0.1–1.1 mm; bracts at base of perianth usually 1; perianth 0.7–1 mm distal to constriction; stamens (1–) 2, included or barely exserted. Inflorescences terminal clusters, axis 15–55 mm. Fruits 4–17 per cluster, usually remotely spaced, overlapped 1–50% (sometimes more) of their lengths, occasionally ± paired (rarely in 3s), straw colored to pale redbrown, narrowly obovoid, 2–2.4+ × 0.8–1.1 mm (l/w: [1.9–] 2.1–3), apex rounded; ribs obtuse or rounded-obtuse, at most slightly rugose near sulci; sulci 0.1–0.3 times as wide as base of ribs, smooth.


Phenology: Flowering mid summer–early fall.
Habitat: Sandy or rocky soils in deserts or arid grasslands
Elevation: [0-]300-1200 m

Distribution

V4 43-distribution-map.gif

Ariz., Calif., N.Mex., Tex., Mexico (Baja California), Mexico (Baja California Sur), Mexico (Sonora)

Discussion

Boerhavia coulteri var. palmeri is a desert taxon primarily from south of the Mogollon Rim; its occurrence in southern New Mexico and western Texas, and on the Channel Islands, is perhaps the result of introductions. It seems very closely related to B. torreyana, distinguished by the less rugose ribs and narrower, nonpapillate sulci. The two may intergrade in southeastern Arizona. For decades var. palmeri has been included without taxonomic recognition within a broadly constructed B. coulteri. The latter is usually a more robust taxon with densely fruited inflorescences and more or less truncate fruits. The two are often sympatric, either in mixed populations, or with B. coulteri var. palmeri inhabiting nearby slightly drier sites. Though most specimens are easily placed into one variety or the other, the two intergrade and hybridization is likely.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" 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.

with few coarse hairs +, puberulent +  and glabrous +
hirtellous +  and glabrous +
truncate +  and conic-truncate +
paired +, spaced +  and cluster +
straw colored;pale redbrown +
2mm +  and 2.4mm +
rounded;obovoid +
0.8mm +  and 1.1mm +
Richard W. Spellenberg +
(S. Watson) Spellenberg +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (5.5 cm55 mm <br />0.055 m <br />) +
glutinous +
symmetric +  and asymmetric +
deciduous +
round +, obtuse +  and acute +
unequal +
woody +, leathery +  and fleshy +
Boerhavia spicata var. palmeri +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
deltate;deltate-ovate;deltate;deltate-ovate;oval;ovate;lanceolate +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (3.2 cm32 mm <br />0.032 m <br />) +
deciduous +  and persistent +
distinct +
ovate +, linear-lanceolate +, lance-acuminate +  and lanceolate +
minute +  and not accrescent +
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
corollalike +  and petaloid +
0.32 cm3.2 mm <br />0.0032 m <br /> (0.36 cm3.6 mm <br />0.0036 m <br />) +
0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br /> (0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.32 cm3.2 mm <br />0.0032 m <br />) +
0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br /> (0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br />) +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, N.Mex. +, Tex. +, Mexico (Baja California) +, Mexico (Baja California Sur) +  and Mexico (Sonora) +
[0-]300-1200 m +
curved +  and straight +
inconspicuous +  and showy +
1 +  and 80 +
chasmogamous +  and bisexual +
separated +, overlapped +  and spaced +
4 +  and 17 +
obpyramidal +, obovoid +, oblong-clavate +, clavate +  and fusiform +
coriaceous +
small +
Sandy or rocky soils in deserts or arid grasslands +
thyrsiform +, cymose +  and pedunculate +
2-5 times with sticky internodal bands +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
unequal +
(4-)5-lobed +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
crisped +  and sinuate +
0.01 cm0.1 mm <br />1.0e-4 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br /> (?) +
white;pale-pink +
campanulate +
constricted +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
Flowering mid summer–early fall. +
glandular-pubescent +, glabrous +  and smooth +
rounded-obtuse +  and obtuse +
thick +  and thin +
fibrous;fleshy +
membranaceous +
ribbed +, 10-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
pubescent +, glabrous +  and warty +
wrinkled +
Weedy +  and Illustrated +
exserted +  and included +
erect +  and decumbent-ascending +
glabrous +  and puberulent +
fusiform +  and linear +
filiform +
0.1-0.3 times as wide as base +
woody +  and soft +
Boerhavia coulteri var. palmeri +
Boerhavia coulteri +
variety +
umbellate +, subumbellate +, spicate +  and cymose +
capitate +  and subcapitate +
singly +  and racemose +
gland-tipped +
expanded +
pubescent +, glabrous +  and glandular +
fusiform +  and ropelike +