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Published In: A Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States (ed. 6) 360. 1890. (Manual (ed. 6)) Name publication detail
 

Project Name Data (Last Modified On 8/18/2017)
Acceptance : Accepted
Project Data     (Last Modified On 7/9/2009)
Status: Native

 

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2. Phacelia covillei S. Watson

Map 1917

Plants relatively slender annuals. Stems 7–30 cm long, unbranched or more commonly few- to several-branched at the base and above, loosely to strongly ascending from a sometimes spreading base, moderately pubescent with stiff, loosely ascending to spreading, nonglandular hairs toward the base, these grading into dense, shorter, gland-tipped hairs toward the tip (median portion with mostly nonglandular hairs, a few gland-tipped hairs occasionally also present). Basal (and lower stem) leaves often persistent at flowering, the blade 1–3 cm long, broadly ovate to broadly elliptic or oblong-elliptic in outline, pinnately compound with 3–7 pinnae, these unlobed or (especially the terminal pinna) mostly moderately to deeply 2- or 3-lobed and sometimes also with a few additional teeth or smaller lobes, the teeth or lobes sharply to bluntly pointed or occasionally rounded at the tips, the surfaces sparsely to moderately pubescent with more or less appressed, stiff hairs. Stem leaves all moderately to long-petiolate, the blade 1–4 cm long, progressively less divided toward the stem tip, the uppermost leaf blades often irregularly 3-lobed, the leaflets or lobes sharply to bluntly pointed or occasionally rounded at the tips, the terminal lobe of at least the uppermost leaf (immediately below the lowermost flower) narrowly angled or tapered at the base, the pubescence similar to that of the basal leaves. Inflorescences with only 2–6 flowers, the axis and flower stalks densely glandular-hairy, sometimes also with scattered nonglandular hairs, the stalks spreading to downward-arched or pendant at fruiting. Calyces 3–7 mm long, the lobes with the margins and surfaces pubescent with mostly nonglandular hairs (glandular hairs more frequent at the calyx base). Corollas 2–4(–5) mm long, narrowly bell-shaped to nearly cylindrical, pale lavender to light purple, the margins entire, the outer surface glabrous. Stamens not exserted, the filaments 1.5–2.0 mm long, glabrous. Ovary with 4 ovules. Style branched to about the midpoint. Fruits 4–6 mm long, the surface usually irregularly swollen (distended by the seeds), 2–4-seeded. Seeds 2.0–2.5 mm long, broadly ovoid-angled to nearly globose, finely ridged, brown. 2n=28. April–May.

Uncommon, known thus far only from single sites in Pulaski and Texas Counties (Maryland to North Carolina west disjunctly to Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri). Bottomland forests, mesic upland forests in ravines, and bases of bluffs.

Chuang and Constance (1977) were the first to document that plants called P. ranunculacea exhibit two distinct chromosome numbers in the eastern and western portions of the overall range, but they were not able to distinguish the two cytotypes morphologically. Sewell and Vincent (2006) showed that the eastern and western populations could be distinguished statistically based on a suite of subtle characters. By linking these relatively cryptic morphological differences to the different ploidy levels, they were able to use herbarium specimens to better circumscribe the ranges of the two cytotypes. Although the n=14 cytotype is mostly restricted to the eastern United States, there are scattered disjunct occurrences within the range of the n=6 cytotype in southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and southern Missouri. Because they could distinguish two entities morphologically and these entities have different base chromosome numbers, Sewell and Vincent (2006) chose to recognize them as distinct species. The underlying evolutionary relationship between the two is not understood and there are no data to address the conjecture that the high chromosome number in P. covillei is an indication of past hybridization between P. ranunculacea and some other species of Phacelia.

 
 


 

 
 
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