Metastelma mexicanum (Brandeg) M. Fishbein & R. Levin (redirected from: Basistelma angustifolia)
Family: Apocynaceae
[Basistelma angustifolia (Torr.) Bartlett, non Cynanchum angustifolium Pers.,  more...]
Metastelma mexicanum image
National Museum of Natural History Image Collection  

Plant: herbacious vine; Stems pubescent in lines above the petioles; milky sap

Leaves: linear, the margins more or less revolute, 1.5-5 cm long, mostly 0.2-0.3 cm broad, sparsely pubescent to glabrate on the midvein above, glabrous beneath, the margins sparsely ciliate; petioles pubescent above, mostly 3-5 mm long

INFLORESCENCE: subsessile, umbelliform, ca. 1 cm across

Flowers: ca. 3 mm long; calyx lobes ca. 3 mm long; corolla whitish to yellowish, broadly campanulate, the tube ca. 1 mm long, the lobes ovate, ca. 3 mm long, short pilose inside toward the tips, the hairs becoming longer and bristle-like below opposite the anther wings, the tips recurved; crown segments distinct, 1.5 mm long, erect, elliptic, shorter than the stigma-head; anther wings ca. 0.4 mm long; corpusculum 0.25 mm long, the pollinia oblong, 0.3 mm long; stigma head apically projected into a cylindrical beak

Fruit: FOLLICLES 4-7 cm long

Misc: Rocky slopes and canyons, oak woodlands: desert mt. ranges; 1050-1700 m (3500-5500 ft); Aug-Oct

REFERENCES: Sundell, Eric. 1994. Asclepiadaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 27, 169-187.

Metastelma mexicanum image
National Museum of Natural History Image Collection  
Metastelma mexicanum image
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh