Cymopterus ripleyi
Encyclopedia
Cymopterus ripleyi is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family
known by the common name Ripley's springparsley, or Ripley's cymopterus. It is native to Nevada
, Arizona
and eastern California
, where it grows in habitat with sandy soils, such as deserts. It is a stemless perennial herb, producing leaves and inflorescence
from the taproot
. The shiny, hairless leaves have small, rounded blades with approximately three leaflets each divided into lobes. The leaves are borne on petioles
up to 10 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a spherical cluster of purplish or off-white flowers atop a long peduncle
.
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
known by the common name Ripley's springparsley, or Ripley's cymopterus. It is native to Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and eastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in habitat with sandy soils, such as deserts. It is a stemless perennial herb, producing leaves and inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
from the taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
. The shiny, hairless leaves have small, rounded blades with approximately three leaflets each divided into lobes. The leaves are borne on petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
up to 10 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a spherical cluster of purplish or off-white flowers atop a long peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
.