Acmispon argophyllus var. niveus
Aliso 28: 63. 2010.
Common names: Santa Cruz Island deervetch or bird’s-foot trefoil
Endemic
Basionym: Syrmatium niveum Greene Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2: 148. 1886
Synonyms: Lotus argophyllus subsp. niveus (Greene) Munz L. argophyllus var. niveus (Greene) Ottley L. niveus (Greene) Greene
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 11.
Subshrubs, ± spreading, silvery-tomentose. Stems ascending to bushy or spreading, not densely leafy. Peduncles 1–5 mm. Umbels 6–10-flowered, congested at branch tips. Flowers 6–7(–10) mm; calyx 5–7 mm, lobes 2–3(–5) mm, banner claw scarcely shorter than blade.
Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat: Rocky slopes, bluffs, dry riverbeds.
Elevation: 0–300 m.
Distribution
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Calif.
Discussion
Variety niveus is known from Santa Cruz Island and nearby Anacapa Island. D. Isely (1981) proposed that it is possibly derived from var. fremontii of the mainland. Isely placed Hosackia nivea S. Watson [Acmispon niveus (S. Watson) Brouillet; syn. Ottleya nivea (S. Watson) D. D. Sokoloff] in synonymy of this taxon, but this is erroneous as this taxon is distinct and found only in Baja California, Mexico.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.