Phacelia longipes
Encyclopedia
Phacelia longipes is a species of phacelia
known by the common name longstalk phacelia. It is endemic to California
, where it grows in the Transverse Ranges
and adjacent western Mojave Desert
. Its habitat includes chaparral
, woodland, and forest, in rocky soils.
. The hairy, glandular inflorescence
is a one-sided curving or coiling cyme of bell-shaped flowers. Each flower is roughly a centimeter long and white to light blue in color. It has a calyx of linear sepal
s and five long, protruding stamen
s.
Phacelia
Phacelia is a genus of about 200 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants, native to North and South America....
known by the common name longstalk phacelia. 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 grows in 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 western 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...
. Its habitat includes chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, woodland, and forest, in rocky soils.
Description
Phacelia longipes is an annual herb growing decumbent or erect to a maximum length of about 40 centimeters. It is glandular and coated lightly in soft and stiff hairs. Most of the leaves are low on the plant, the toothed oval blades borne on long 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 hairy, glandular 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 bell-shaped flowers. Each flower is roughly a centimeter long and white to light blue in color. It has a calyx of linear 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 long, protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s.