Chorizanthe spinosa

S. Watson in W. H. Brewer et al.

in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. California 2: 481. 1880.

Common names: Mojave spineflower
Endemic
Synonyms: Eriogonella spinosa (S. Watson) Goodman
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 449. Mentioned on page 446.

Plants spreading to prostrate, 0.3–0.8 (–1) × 0.5–8 dm. Leaves basal; petiole 0.5–2 cm; blade (0.3–) 0.5–1.5 (–2) × (3–) 5–10 (–12) mm, thinly pubescent adaxially, more densely so to tomentose abaxially. Inflorescences greenish to reddish, mostly flat-topped and open to dense; bracts 3, whorled, short-petiolate, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, acerose, 0.5–1.5 cm × 3–8 (–10) mm, awns straight, 1–3.5 mm. Involucres usually congested in small terminal clusters of 1–3 at node of dichotomies, (4–) 5-ribbed, weakly 3-angled, 2–2.5 mm, not corrugate, densely canescent; teeth (4–) 5, essentially erect with longer, prominent, and thickened anterior one 2–4 mm, with straight awn 1–2.5 mm, remaining teeth smaller, 0.5–1 mm, with straight awns 0.3–0.8 mm. Flowers 1, exserted; perianth, cylindric, 2.5–3.5 mm; tepals connate 1/2–2/3 their length, dimorphic, entire, those of outer whorl spreading, broadly obovate and rounded apically, those of inner whorl erect, narrowly oblanceolate, 1/2 length of outer ones, acute apically; stamens slightly exserted; filaments 2.5–3 mm, glabrous; anthers yellowish, oblong, 0.5–0.7 mm. Achenes 2.5–3 mm. 2n = (40), 44, (46).


Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jul.
Habitat: Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, saltbush communities
Elevation: 600-1300 m

Discussion

G. J. Goodman (1934) referred Chorizanthe spinosa to Eriogonella, but C. spinosa and C. membranacea, the type of Eriogonella, are well isolated from one another, and both are well removed from the remainder of the annual spineflowers. The Mojave spineflower is local and uncommon from southeastern Kern and southern Inyo counties, south into adjacent northeastern Los Angeles and northwestern San Bernardino counties to Antelope and Lucerne valleys.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"/" 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.No values specified.

... more about "Chorizanthe spinosa"
3-gonous +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br />) +
James L. Reveal +
S. Watson in W. H. Brewer et al. +
straight +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br />) +
alternate +  and rosulate +
stipelike +
awn-tipped +  and simple +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
tomentose +  and pubescent +
linear;oblanceolate or spatulate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
short-petiolate +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
glandular +, woolly-floccose +, tomentose +, strigose +, villous +, hirsute +  and pubescent +
acerose +, linear-lanceolate +  and lanceolate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
disarticulating +, dichotomous +, branched +  and open +
erect +  and spreading +
just below the soil surface or and above the soil surface +  and spreading +
Mojave spineflower +
600-1300 m +
adnate +  and distinct +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
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 to gravelly flats and slopes, saltbush communities +
greenish;reddish +
connate +  and free +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
nonmembranous +
in whorls +, opposite +, alternate +  and rosulate +
deciduous +  and persistent +
bractlike +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
lobed +, undulate +, crisped +, crenulate +  and entire +
scarious +  and membranous +
not swollen +
orthotropous +
accrescent +
curved +  and straight +
erect to deflexed +
cylindric +
accrescent +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
fleshy +, indurate +  and membranous +
with extrafloral nectaries +  and not articulate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Flowering Apr–Jul. +
homostylous +  and 3-carpellate +
in W. H. Brewer et al., Bot. California +
, +  and solid +
slender;stout +
not disarticulating +
decumbent to erect +  and prostrate +
prostrate +  and erect +
penicillate +, fimbriate +  and capitate +
deciduous +  and persistent +
2-lobed +  and cylindric +
coriaceous +  and membranous +
consisting of a series +  and tubular +
distinct +
erect;spreading +
spreading;erect +
Eriogonella spinosa +
chambered +, , +  and solid +
slender +  and stout +
Chorizanthe spinosa +
Chorizanthe subg. Quintaria +
species +
lobed +  and laciniate +
coriaceous +
shallow +
smaller +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
persistent +
membranous +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
spreading;prostrate +
3 +, 2 +  and 1 +
erect +  and spreading +