Gilia minor
Encyclopedia
Gilia minor is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family
known by the common name little gilia. It is native to the Mojave Desert
and it is also present in the coastal Santa Lucia Mountains
of central-southern coastal California
.
The inflorescence
holds one to several small flowers, each under a centimeter wide and bright lavender in color. The throat of the flower is white or yellowish with purple veining and the style
and stamen
s protrude slightly.
Polemoniaceae
Polemoniaceae are a family of about 25 genera with 270-400 species of annual and perennial plants, native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity in western North America, especially in California.Only one genus is found in Europe, and two in Asia, where they...
known by the common name little gilia. It is native to the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
and it is also present in the coastal Santa Lucia Mountains
Santa Lucia Mountains
The Santa Lucia Mountains or Santa Lucia Range is a mountain range in coastal California, running from Monterey southeast for 105 miles to San Luis Obispo. The highest summit is Junipero Serra Peak, in Monterey County...
of central-southern coastal 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...
.
Description
This wildflower grows short, branching, spreading stems to 20 centimeters in length. The leaves are mainly located in a basal rosette at the ground and are sparsely distributed along the stems as well. The herbage may have a coating of white cobweb-like fibers and hairlike glands.The 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...
holds one to several small flowers, each under a centimeter wide and bright lavender in color. The throat of the flower is white or yellowish with purple veining and the style
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
and stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s protrude slightly.