Nemacladus interior
Encyclopedia
Nemacladus interior is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family
known by the common name Sierra threadplant. It is native to the Sierra Nevada of California
, and it is known from Oregon
as well. It grows in mountain forest habitat. It is an annual herb producing a stiff upright purple-brown stem up to about 25 centimeters tall. Small toothed oval leaves 1 to 2 centimeters long occur at the base of the plant. The inflorescence
is a zigzagging series of branches bearing occasional flowers on thin pedicels
. There is a single tiny bract
at the base of each pedicel. The flower is a few millimeters long. It has five triangular sepal
s and five corolla lobes, three lobes on the upper lip and two on the lower. The corolla is white to pale purple or pink with a thin red band and yellow spot at the base of each lobe.
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 Sierra threadplant. It is native to the Sierra Nevada of 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...
, and it is known from Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
as well. It grows in mountain forest habitat. It is an annual herb producing a stiff upright purple-brown stem up to about 25 centimeters tall. Small toothed oval leaves 1 to 2 centimeters 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 zigzagging series of branches bearing occasional flowers on thin 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 a few millimeters long. It has five triangular sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s and five corolla lobes, three lobes on the upper lip and two on the lower. The corolla is white to pale purple or pink with a thin red band and yellow spot at the base of each lobe.