Phacelia insularis
Encyclopedia
Phacelia insularis is a rare species of phacelia
. It is endemic to California
, where it has a disjunct distribution
.
. The larger leaves have blades divided deeply into lobes. The inflorescence
is a one-sided curving or coiling cyme of many purple flowers. The North Coast variety has bell-shaped flowers under a centimeter in length, while the island variety has wider, sometimes larger flowers.
Phacelia
Phacelia is a genus of about 200 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants, native to North and South America....
. 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 has a disjunct distribution
Disjunct distribution
In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but widely separated from each other geographically...
.
- Phacelia insularis var. continentis - North Coast phacelia, is known only from the coastline of MendocinoMendocino County, CaliforniaMendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
and Marin CountiesMarin County, CaliforniaMarin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well... - Phacelia insularis var. insularis - North Channel Islands phacelia, is native to Santa RosaSanta Rosa Island, CaliforniaSanta Rosa Island is the second largest of the Channel Islands of California at 53,195 acres . Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block 3009, Block Group 3, Census Tract 29.10 of Santa Barbara County, California, the 2000 census showed an official population of 2 persons. It is part of...
and San Miguel IslandSan Miguel IslandSan Miguel Island is the westernmost of California's Channel Islands, located across the Santa Barbara Channel in the Pacific Ocean, within Santa Barbara County, California. San Miguel is the sixth-largest of the eight Channel Islands at , including offshore islands and rocks. Prince Island, off...
s, two of the Channel Islands of CaliforniaChannel Islands of CaliforniaThe Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California along the Santa Barbara Channel in the United States of America...
. The latter variety is federally listed as an endangered speciesEndangered speciesAn endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
and may be currently limited to one occurrence on Santa Rosa Island.
Description
Phacelia insularis is an annual herb with stems reaching about 20 centimeters long, the North Coast variety decumbent or somewhat upright and the island variety growing erect. It is glandular and coated in stiff hairs. The leaves may be up to 8 centimeters long and are borne on petiolesPetiole (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...
. The larger leaves have blades divided deeply into lobes. 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 one-sided curving or coiling cyme of many purple flowers. The North Coast variety has bell-shaped flowers under a centimeter in length, while the island variety has wider, sometimes larger flowers.