Stanleya viridiflora
Encyclopedia
Stanleya viridiflora is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name green princesplume. It is native to the western United States, where it occurs in sagebrush and plateau habitat, often on rocky calcareous
, sandstone
, clay
, shale
, or volcanic soils. It is a perennial herb producing a stout erect stem which may exceed a meter in maximum height. It is hairless and sometimes waxy in texture. Its base is a caudex
which is generally covered in the remains of withered leaf bases. The leaves have lance-shaped or oblong blades which have smooth or toothed edges or may be divided into a few lobes. The blades may be 22 centimeters long. Some are borne on long petioles
, while others, especially those higher on the plant, clasp the stem at their bases. The top of the stem is occupied by a long inflorescence
which is an open raceme
of many flowers. Each flower bud is enclosed in long, thick sepal
s which open to reveal yellow or whitish petals each measuring up to 2 centimeters in length. The stamen
s protruding from the flower's center are 1 or 2 centimeters long. The fruit is a curving, wormlike silique
3 to 7 centimeters in length containing tiny seeds.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common name green princesplume. It is native to the western United States, where it occurs in sagebrush and plateau habitat, often on rocky calcareous
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
, shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
, or volcanic soils. It is a perennial herb producing a stout erect stem which may exceed a meter in maximum height. It is hairless and sometimes waxy in texture. Its base is a caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
which is generally covered in the remains of withered leaf bases. The leaves have lance-shaped or oblong blades which have smooth or toothed edges or may be divided into a few lobes. The blades may be 22 centimeters long. Some are borne on long petioles
Petiole (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...
, while others, especially those higher on the plant, clasp the stem at their bases. The top of the stem is occupied by a long 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...
which is an open raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
of many flowers. Each flower bud is enclosed in long, thick 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 which open to reveal yellow or whitish petals each measuring up to 2 centimeters in length. The stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s protruding from the flower's center are 1 or 2 centimeters long. The fruit is a curving, wormlike silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
3 to 7 centimeters in length containing tiny seeds.