Nemacladus gracilis
Encyclopedia
Nemacladus gracilis is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the bellflower family
known by the common name slender threadplant. It is endemic to California
, where it is known from the Transverse Ranges
and adjacent mountains, desert, and valley territory. It can be found in rocky and sandy areas in woodland and grassland habitat. It is a small annual herb producing an upright reddish brown stem no more than about 10 centimeters long. Small lobed oval leaves under a centimeter long occur at the base of the plant. The inflorescence
is a series of branches bearing occasional flowers on thin, curving pedicels
. There is a single tiny bract
at the base of each pedicel. The flower is only about 2 millimeters long. It has five lavender-veined white lobes fused along the lower half.
Campanulaceae
The family Campanulaceae , of the order Asterales, contains about 2000 species in 70 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky non-toxic sap...
known by the common name slender threadplant. It is endemic to 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 is known from the Transverse Ranges
Transverse Ranges
The Transverse Ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region that runs along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico in North America. The Transverse Ranges begin at the southern end of the California Coast Ranges and lie between...
and adjacent mountains, desert, and valley territory. It can be found in rocky and sandy areas in woodland and grassland habitat. It is a small annual herb producing an upright reddish brown stem no more than about 10 centimeters long. Small lobed oval leaves under a centimeter long occur at the base of the plant. 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...
is a series of branches bearing occasional flowers on thin, curving pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
. There is a single tiny bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
at the base of each pedicel. The flower is only about 2 millimeters long. It has five lavender-veined white lobes fused along the lower half.