Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia

(Choisy) Spellenberg

Sida 19: 549. 2001.

Basionym: Oxybaphus glabrifolius var. crassifolius Choisy in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 13(2): 431. 1849
Synonyms: Hesperonia californica (A. Gray) Standley Hesperonia cedrosensis Standley Hesperonia heimerlii Standley Mirabilis californica A. Gray Mirabilis californica var. cedrosensis (Standley) J. F. Macbride Mirabilis californica var. cordifolia (Dunkle) Dunkle Mirabilis heimerlii unknown Mirabilis laevis var. cedrosensis (Standley) Munz Mirabilis laevis var. cordifolia Dunkle
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 48. Mentioned on page 47.
Revision as of 20:03, 24 September 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Stems few to many in clumps, often glabrous basally, viscid-pubescent or ± scabrous distally. Leaf blades 1–4.5 × 0.4–3.5 cm. Inflorescences ± thyrselike, often narrow; involucres in clusters on short branches along main axis after first few dichotomous branches, 5–9 mm; bracts 30–70% connate, lobes ovate or ovate-oblong, base often 50–70% of height, apex obtuse or acute. Flowers: perianth usually pink, lavender, or magenta, rarely white. Fruits dark to pale gray-brown and mottled with dark gray-brown, tan, or red-brown, sometimes also faintly and irregularly pale striped, ovoid, 3–5 × 2.7–3.7 mm.


Phenology: Flowering ± year-round, most vigorously in spring.
Habitat: Brush or open woodlands, banks, bluffs, open hillsides, washes
Elevation: 0-1800 m

Distribution

V4 91-distribution-map.gif

Calif., Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur).

Discussion

In recent floras Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia has been treated as M. californica or M. laevis. The California specimen of M. tenuiloba var. polyphylla (Standley) J. F. Macbride cited by Macbride (1918) [M. polyphylla (Standley) Standley] is considered to be M. laevis var. crassifolia. It has fruiting involucres at the upper range of its length, similar to some plants from the Channel Islands. In Baja California, indigenous peoples have used the plants of var. crassifolia to alleviate stomach ailments.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
Richard W. Spellenberg +
(Choisy) Spellenberg +
Oxybaphus glabrifolius var. crassifolius +
Calif. +, Mexico (Baja California +  and Baja California Sur). +
0-1800 m +
Brush or open woodlands, banks, bluffs, open hillsides, washes +
Flowering ± year-round, most vigorously in spring. +
Illustrated +
Hesperonia californica +, Hesperonia cedrosensis +, Hesperonia heimerlii +, Mirabilis californica +, Mirabilis californica var. cedrosensis +, Mirabilis californica var. cordifolia +, Mirabilis heimerlii +, Mirabilis laevis var. cedrosensis +  and Mirabilis laevis var. cordifolia +
Mirabilis laevis var. crassifolia +
Mirabilis laevis +
variety +