A N F Keys
1 Ovary deeply 4-lobed, each lobe containing 1 ovule, potentially producing a dry fruit (to 4 nutlets, alternatively a 4-parted schizocarp); style arising in the center (between the ovary lobes) at the base (gynobasic style), lacking distinct branches (Boraginaceae, s.s.)
2 Nutlets with prominent spines
3 Shoots strigose to short-strigose with upward-pointing hairs; corolla 0.7−1.4 mm across; nutlets widely spreading at maturity and X-shaped, bearing hooked and straight bristles along edges of nutlets .. Pectocarya
3' Shoots hirsute to hispid, or villous to short-villous with strigose hairs on lower surface of leaves (P. acanthocarpa); corolla 1.5−7.5 mm across; nutlets appressed and erect at maturity; bristles and other projections on back faces of nutlets .. Plagiobothrys (part)
2' Nutlets smooth to patterned but lacking sharp projections
4 Corolla light yellow to yellow-orange .. Amsinckia
4' Corolla white and often with yellow glands on throat
5 Inner face of nutlet with a longitudinal groove forked at the base .. Cryptantha
5' Inner face of nutlet with a keel and a round or oval attachment scar .. Plagiobothrys (part)
1' Ovary unlobed with 1 chamber (often appearing as 2), containing 4−many ovules, usually maturing as a dehiscent capsule; style arising at the tip of ovary and clearly 2-branched (exception Heliotropium)
6 Plants obviously woody; blades initially soft-hairy to velveteen aging stiff-hairy to hispid
7 Leaves large with blades (80−)150−350+ × 65−210+ mm; flowers 35−40 mm across .. Wigandia urens var. caracasana [pics]
7' Leaves with blades mostly lanceolate to elliptic, 25−215 × 5−50 mm; flowers < 15 mm across
8 Shoots rosettelike, on the newest growth bluish green leaves regularly spaced with very short internodes, not glandular-hairy; inflorescence a dense, lanceoloid panicle with crowded, short, lateral branches, 200−400 mm long; corolla slightly bilateral, blue .. Echium candicans [pics]
8' Shoots not rosettelike, grayish green leaves noticeably glandular-hairy and resinous (plant pleasantly aromatic); inflorescence a panicle of ascending cymes; corolla radial, violet to lavender with darker veins .. Eriodictyon crassifolium var. nigrescens [pics]
6' Plants herbaceous perennials or annuals
9 Shoots glabrous and with light green stems and blue-green glaucous leaves; panicle of 2−4, spikelike cymes with white flowers; fruits, when formed, smooth, ± ovoid nutlets (0−4) .. Heliotropium curassavicum var. oculatum [pics]
9' Shoots with some type or types of hairs, always nonglandular and often glandular hairs
10 Stems having recurved prickles .. Pholistoma
10' Stems lacking recurved prickles
11 Calyx with reflexed appendages in the sinuses .. Nemophila
11' Calyx lacking appendages in the sinuses
12 Flowers upright with light yellow corolla becoming persistent, papery, and tan-cream concealing a pendent capsule on a flexible pedicel .. Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora [pics]
12' Flowers not yellow, capsule not pendent
13 Shoots opposite decussate on lower plant and helically alternate above, glandular-hairy and pleasantly and strongly scented; flower white, 4−5.5 mm across .. Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia var. chrysanthemifolia [pics]
13' Shoots strictly helically alternate, glandular-hairy and scented or unscented; flower lavender, purple, violet, pink, blue, violet, to white (yellow only in throat), 6.5−45 mm across .. Phacelia
1 Flowers 3−6 mm across, corolla 7−11 mm long and orange-yellow with lobes 1−2.5 mm long, anthers 1 mm long .. Amsinckia intermedia [pics]
1' Flowers ± 2.5 mm across, corolla 3−4.5 mm long and light yellow with lobes 0.6−0.9 mm long, anthers ± 0.5 mm long .. Amsinckia menziesii [pics]
Cryptantha G.
Don
POPCORNFLOWER
1 Corolla 1 mm across; calyx in fruit to 1.4 mm long with hooked hairs; nutlets dimorphic, 0.7−0.9 mm long, 3 minutely bumpy on outer face, 1 smooth at least below midpoint; shoots hirsute (not hispid) .. Cryptantha micromeres [pics]
1' Corolla 2+ mm across; calyx in fruit 2+ mm long without hooked hairs; nutlets monomorphic, 1.5−2 mm long; shoots at least hispid and sometimes with other types of stiff hairs
2 Corollas > 4 mm across; nutlets mostly 4, bumpy
3 Leaves mostly bright green and neither stems nor inflorescence axes with strigose hairs; corolla 5.5−9(−13) mm across; in fruit mature calyx 2× nutlets .. Cryptantha intermedia var. intermedia [pics]
3' Leaves dull dark green and inflorescence axes hispid with ascending hairs and also strigose; corolla 4.5−7.5 mm across; in fruit mature calyx 2.4−3.5 mm long .. Cryptantha muricata var. muricata [pics]
2' Nutlets typically 1(−2), smooth
4 Corolla 2.6−3.5 mm across; inflorescence axes with only strigose hairs; at anthesis exposed portion of style ± 1 mm long and increasing in fruit; nutlets glossy tan and sparsely mottled brown, calyx 2.0−2.7 mm long in fruit .. Cryptantha clevelandii var. clevelandii [pics]
4' Corolla 2−2.4 mm across; inflorescence axes with mixed strigose and radiating hairs; at anthesis style short and included and not increasing in fruit; nutlets glossy dark brown, calyx to 2 mm long in fruit .. Cryptantha microstachys [pics]
NB. There is one in-range report of Cryptantha barbigera (A. Gray) Greene, but it has not been confirmed and living materials were not available to produce a description for the flora. Cryptantha flaccida (Lehm.) Greene (WEAK-STEMMED CRYPTANTHA) also may be present in range.
1 Leaves alternate (basal) and opposite (cauline), lobed blades 25−75 mm long; flowers 15−30 mm across, corolla dark blue to purplish blue without spots, dots, or lines, calyx appendages 1−2.5 mm long; capsules ca. 6.5 mm, never touching the ground, not purple before dehiscing .. Nemophila menziesii var. menziesii [pics]
1' Leaves strictly opposite decussate, lobed blades 6−15 mm long; flowers ca. 2 mm across, corolla whitish with tiny purple dots or lines, calyx appendages 0.2−0.4 mm long; capsules ca. 3.5 mm, at ground level on strongly recurved pedicel, purple before dehiscing .. Nemophila pedunculata [pics]
1 Lower shoot short-strigose with most hairs < 0.5 mm long; flower and fruit ascending; lobes of fruit body with 20+ hooks clustered at tip .. Pectocarya penicillata [pics]
1' Lower shoot strigose with many hairs ± 1 mm long; flower initially ascending becoming nodding; lobes of fruit with hooked bristles at least from midpoint to tip .. Pectocarya linearis subsp. ferocula [pics]
1 Perennials
2 Principal shoots unbranched or with lateral flowering branches from axils of lower cauline leaves, with grayish green leaves, hispid-hirsute, the nonglandular hairs to 5 mm long and straight, densely glandular-pubescent beneath firm hairs, not aromatic or viscid; flowers white with faint green veins .. Phacelia imbricata subsp. imbricata [pics]
2' Shoots branched and with widely spaced cauline leaves, with green leaves densely glandular-hairy through and sparsely to moderately hispid, the hispid hairs to 2.5 mm long, the glandular hairs mostly stalked with amber heads aging darker or losing head and appearing nonglandular; flowers lavender to pale lavender (whitish) .. Phacelia ramosissima [pics]
1' Annuals
3 Leaves compound with primary leaflets toothed or divided; capsules with 2−4 seeds
4 Flowers pale lavender to deep lavender or light purple; calyx lobes > 10 mm long in fruit and loosely enveloping capsule
5 Young ball-like cymes of 3−5 smaller clusters, hispid and sericeous, the hispid hairs with a purple ring around thick base; seeds 1.5−1.8 × 1.1−1.4 mm .. Phacelia cicutaria var. hispida [pics]
5' Young ball-like cymes 35−45 mm across of 5−8 smaller clusters, pilose-hirsute to 5 mm long lacking purple ring at base and densely puberulent; seeds 2.8−3.2 × 1.45−1.8 mm .. Phacelia hubbyi [pics]
4' Flowers violet to blue-violet or dark blue; calyx lobes < 10 mm long in fruit and appressed to capsule
6 Calyx at anthesis 5−6.2 mm long; anthers deep violet .. Phacelia distans [pics]
6' Calyx at anthesis 4−4.5 mm long; anthers pale yellow .. Phacelia tanacetifolia [pics]
3' Leaves simple with teeth or pinnately divided; capsules with 8+ seeds
7 Blades deeply pinnately lobed with lobes or teeth mostly opposite or subopposite; corolla white to purplish pink with a yellow tube .. Phacelia brachyloba [pics]
7' Blades ovate with teeth on margins; corollas not as above
8 Corolla dish-shaped, blue to violet with conspicuous darker veins (white); style branches at least 3/4 of length; appendages adjacent stamens absent; in fruit pedicels ≤ 10 mm
9 Corolla 18−45 mm across; filaments 13.5−20 mm long; style (15−)18−25 mm long .. Phacelia grandiflora [pics]
9' Corolla 10−14 mm across; filaments 3−5.5 mm long; style 3.5−4.2 mm long .. Phacelia viscida [pics]
8' Corolla widely to deeply bell-shaped; style branches ≤ 2/3 of length; appendages on stamens present; in fruit pedicels > 10 mm long
10 Calyx lobes 4.5−5.5 mm long increasing 3 mm in fruit; corolla widely bell-shaped to rotate, 10−17(−20) mm long, deep violet; filaments 6.5−15 mm long with anthers 2.7−3 mm long .. Phacelia parryi [pics]
10' Calyx lobes mostly 7−8 mm long increasing 3 mm in fruit; corolla deeply bell-shaped, (10−)18−33(−40) mm long; filaments (15−)19−34 mm long with anthers 2−2.5 mm long .. Phacelia minor [pics]
NB. Possible sightings in range, and needing confirmation, are Phacelia affinis A Gray, P. ciliata Benth., and P. egena (Brand) J. T. Howell, as well as former treatments of P. douglasii (Benth.) Torrey and P. longipes A. Gray.
Pholistoma Lilja
FIESTA FLOWER
1 Stems cylindric, leaves < 100 mm long; flowers 4−5 mm across, corolla ± 2.5 mm long with white lobes, filaments 1.2−1.4 mm long, style ± 1.5 mm long; capsules 4−5 mm long, typically 4−8-seeded .. Pholistoma racemosum [pics]
1' Stems 4-sided, leaves mostly 100−300 mm long; flowers 10−22 mm across, corolla 7−15 mm long with blue-lavender to light purple lobes, filaments 3.5−5 mm long, style 4−8 mm long; capsules 6−7 mm long, 1−4-seeded .. Pholistoma auritum var. auritum [pics]
Plagiobothrys Fisch. & C. A. Meyer
POPCORNFLOWER
1 Lower leaves opposite, upper leaves and bractlets alternate; lower surface of blades strigose with blisterlike bases; calyx with some hairs pale brown; nutlets 4, vertical, with barbed prickles .. Plagiobothrys acanthocarpus [pics]
1' Leaves and bractlets all alternate; foliage never strigose; nutlets lacking barbed prickles
2 Foliage villous or ± short-villous; calyx at anthesis 2.5−3 mm long, with conspicuous rusty brown hairs
3 Blades 17−110 × 3.5−17 mm; bractlets absent or only present associated with the lowest flowers; flowers 5−7.5 mm across; nutlets 1−3, horizontal and firmly attached, 2−2.6 mm long, with calyx abscising around tube (circumscissile) .. Plagiobothrys nothofulvus [pics]
3' Blades 40−50 × 3−4(−7) mm; bractlets present throughout inflorescence; flowers 2−2.5(−3) mm across; nutlets (1−)3−4, vertical and weakly attached, 1.5−1.7 mm long, calyx persistent .. Plagiobothrys canescens var. canescens [pics]
2' Foliage ascending-hirsute; calyx at anthesis 1.5−2 mm long, rusty brown hairs absent; nutlets 3−4, vertical and weakly attached, 1.1−1.5 mm long .. Plagiobothrys collinus [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013