Leptosiphon aureus
| Leptosiphon aureus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Polemoniaceae |
| Genus: | Leptosiphon |
| Species: | L. aureus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Leptosiphon aureus (Nutt.) J.M.Porter & L.A.Johnson
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Leptosiphon aureus var. aureus − (Nutt.) E. Vilm [1] | |
Leptosiphon aureus is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name golden linanthus.[2]
It has been reclassified by the USDA and the Jepson Manual (TJM2) from a binomial nomenclature to two subspecies: Leptosiphon aureus var. aureus for the majority of populations,[1][3] and Leptosiphon aureus subsp. decorus for a smaller range of populations.[4][5]
Distribution[]
The plant is native to the Southwestern United States in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Southern California; and to northwestern Mexico in Baja California state.[6]
It grows in desert flats and desert chaparral of the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert; in chaparral and woodlands of the Peninsular Ranges and Transverse Ranges; and in pinyon-juniper woodlands and madrean pine-oak woodlands of Madrean Sky Islands.[2]
Description[]
Leptosiphon aureus is an annual herb producing a thin, threadlike stem with occasional leaves divided into narrow needlelike lobes. The oppositely arranged leaves are each divided into very narrow bristlelike lobes up to a centimeter long.[7]
The tip of the stem has an inflorescence of usually a single flower with corolla lobes under a centimeter long. With the two subspecies: ssp. aureus generally has bright to golden yellow flowers; while ssp. decorus has white or cream blooms. The bloom period is March to June.
Subspecies[]
Two subspecies, currently replacing the binomial species name in taxonomy, overlap in geography but do not occur together.[8][2]
- Leptosiphon aureus ssp. aureus — pinyon-juniper woodlands, madrean pine-oak woodlands in Madrean Sky Islands, and desert flats.[3][1]
- Leptosiphon aureus subsp. decorus — endemic to Mojave Desert in California.[5][4]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c GRIN-Global Web v 1.9.4.2: Taxonomy of Leptosiphon aureus var. aureus, (Nutt.) E. Vilm/Elisa de Vilmorin . accessed 2.28.2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Calflora: Leptosiphon aureus
- ^ Jump up to: a b Jepson eFlora: Leptosiphon aureus ssp. aureus[permanent dead link]
- ^ Jump up to: a b GRIN-Global Web v 1.9.4.2: Taxonomy of Leptosiphon aureus var. decorus
- ^ Jump up to: a b Jepson: Leptosiphon aureus subsp. decorus[permanent dead link]
- ^ GRIN-Global Web v 1.9.4.2: Taxonomy of Leptosiphon aureus var. aureus
- ^ Jepson: Leptosiphon aureus
- ^ Jepson eFlora: Leptosiphon aureus[permanent dead link]
External links[]
- Leptosiphon
- Flora of the Southwestern United States
- Flora of California
- Flora of Baja California
- Flora of New Mexico
- Flora of the California desert regions
- Flora of the Sonoran Deserts
- Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
- Natural history of the Colorado Desert
- Natural history of the Mojave Desert
- Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges
- Natural history of the Transverse Ranges