Chorizanthe polygonoides Torr. & A. Gray
Family: Polygonaceae
Knotweed Spineflower
Chorizanthe polygonoides image
Barry Breckling  

Plants prostrate, 0.1-0.5 × 0.3-2(-2.5) dm, villous. Leaves basal; petiole 0.5-1 cm; blade oblance-olate to elliptic, 0.3-1 × 0.2-0.3 cm, thinly pubescent. Inflores-cences with involucres in small clusters 0.5-1 cm across even at dichotomies, greenish or reddish; bracts 2, petiolate or sessile, similar to proximal leaf blades, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic to linear-lanceolate, 0.3-1 cm × 1-3 mm, awns absent. Involucres 1, greenish or reddish, campanulate, 5-6-ribbed, 1.5-2.5 mm, corrugate, thinly pubescent; teeth 5-6, unequal, 3 longer ones 1.5-3 mm, these alternating with 2 or 3 shorter ones 1-2 mm, anterior tooth not leaflike; awns of prominent teeth uncinate and 1.5-3 mm, those of shorter teeth straight and 1-2 mm. Flowers 1, included to slightly exserted; perianth white to rose, cylindric, 1.5-1.8(-2) mm, densely pubescent abaxially; tepals connate 2/ 3 their length, monomorphic, oblong, obtuse to truncate or minutely emarginate apically; stamens (6) 9, slightly exserted; filaments distinct, 0.8-1 mm, glabrous; anthers reddish, ovate, 0.2-0.3 mm. Achenes dark brown to black, 3-gonous, 2-2.5 mm.

Chorizanthe polygonoides image
Barry Breckling  
Chorizanthe polygonoides image
Barry Breckling