Hackelia micrantha (Eastw.) J.L.Gentry

  • Authority

    Gentry, Johnnie L. & Carr, Robert L. 1976. A revision of the genus Hackelia (Boraginaceae) in North America north of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 26: 121-227.

  • Family

    Boraginaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Hackelia micrantha (Eastw.) J.L.Gentry

  • Description

    Species Description - Perennial 3-11 dm tall; stems from a stout taproot and branching caudex, erect, several to numerous, sparsely to densely hairy, reflexed-to spreading-hirsute or sometimes retrorsely strigose below, hirsute and strigose or only antrorsely strigose above, sometimes with some flexuous hairs throughout. Leaves hirsute to subappressed-hirsute or strigose, sometimes with some flexuous hairs intermingled; basal leaves usually persistent, (5-)8-28(-32) cm long, (8-)12-30(-35) mm wide, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, long petiolate, mostly obtuse; cauline leaves ascending, (2.5-)4-25 cm long, (5-)7-25(-30) mm wide, the lower leaves petiolate, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, the upper ones sessile, narrowly oblong to oblong-lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, sometimes ovate-lanceolate and sub-clasping, acute, gradually reduced upward; bracts generally small in the lower part of the inflorescence. Pedicels 5-12 mm long in fruit. Calyx lobes (l-)1.5-2.7 mm long, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, subappressed-hirsute or sometimes with some flexuous hairs, sometimes densely hairy. Corolla limb blue, rarely white, (3-)5-9.5(-ll) mm wide; tube (l-)1.5-2.3 mm long, shorter than to slightly exceeding the calyx lobes. Fornices with appendages papillate, about 2 times as broad as long, the protuberance about 2 times as broad as long. Anthers (0.7-)0.8-1.2 mm long. Nutlets 3.0-4.5 mm long, ovate; dorsal surface verrucose-hispidulous, sometimes sparsely hispidulous, the intramarginal prickles (l-)4-8(-15), much shorter than the marginal ones, 0.1-1.5(-3) mm long; marginal prickles distinct or slightly connate at their bases, 2-4(-4.5) mm long, 4-9 on each side, often with a shorter one in between. Chromosome number, n = 12.

  • Discussion

    Lappula micrantha Eastw., Bull. Torrey Club 30: 497. 1903. Hackelia eastwoodae Johnst., Contr. Gray Herb. 68: 47. 1923. nom. superfl. Lappula macilenta Greene ex Baker, W. Amer. Pl. 1: 18. 1902. nom. nud. Lappula Jessicae McGregor, Bull. Torrey Club 37: 262. 1910. Hackelia jessicae (McGregor) Brand, Pflanzenr. IV. 252(Heft 97): 132. 1931. Lappula floribunda var jessicae (McGregor) Jepson & Hoover in Jepson, Fl. Calif. 3: 307. 1943. Type: CALIFORNIA. El Dorado County: Half Moon Lake, elevation 7,760 feet, August 9, 1909, E. A. McGregor 71 (holotype, DS!, isotypes, NY!, US!). Type. CALIFORNIA. Trinity County: Canyon Creek, Twin Lakes, July 9, 1901, A. Eastwood s.n. (holotype, CAS!; isotypes GH!, NY!, US!). Hackelia micrantha exhibits some morphological variation throughout its wide gegraphic range in western North America, but this is mostly in stature of the plant, density of pubescence, corolla size, and number of intramarginal prickles on the nutlets. These characters do not correlate with any geographic region. This species does not present as much variation as that found in H floribunda. Hackelia micrantha has affinities with H. bella and H. amethystina. Hackelia micrantha and H. floribunda are sometimes difficult to determine with only a flowering inflorescence. However, complete specimens with flowers or fruits can be determined without much difficulty, especially after the two species have been observed in the field. The characters that distinguish the two species are subject to some overlap, but the populations themselves appear to be distinct. The nutlets of the type of Hackelia micrantha have a single intramarginal prickle, whereas the normal range in variation is four to eight prickles per nutlet. There has been a great deal of confusion in the treatment and application of a name for this species. Gray and Piper applied the epithet diffusa to this plant. Johnston placed this species, in part, under H. floribunda, and recognized a distinct species, H. eastwoodae (=H. micrantha), for plants similar to H. floribunda, but with small flowers and a few glochidiate prickles on the dorsal side of the nutlets. Jepson and Hoover placed it at the varietal rank under L. floribunda (=H. floribunda). See Gentry (1972) for an explanation of the use of the name, H. micrantha.

  • Distribution

    Habitat and distribution (Fig. 22). In dry open forests, thickets, or on open hillsides or in aspen groves, sometimes along streams at elevations from (seldom as low as 2,100 feet) 4,000 to 11,500 feet, British Columbia and western Alberta, south along the Cascades and Coast Ranges to Glenn County, California, and in the Sierra Nevada to Tulare County, California across Nevada to central Utah, western Montana to Garfield County, Colorado. Flowers in June and July.

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