Camissonia tanacetifolia (Torr. & A.Gray) P.H.Raven

  • Authority

    Raven, Peter H. 1969. A revision of the genus Camissonia (Onagraceae). Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 37: 161-396.

  • Family

    Onagraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Camissonia tanacetifolia (Torr. & A.Gray) P.H.Raven

  • Description

    Description - Acaulescent perennial from a woody, deep taproot from which numerous slender branches arise in age to produce additional rosettes. Leaves very narrowly elliptic, 6.5-32 cm. long, 0.7-3.3 cm. wide, more or less densely short-pilose, or the trichomes appressed; deeply and irregularly pinnatifid, the apex acute to long acuminate, the base attenuate to narrowly cuneate to a petiole 1-8 cm. long. Buds erect just before anthesis. Sterile prolongation of ovary 1.4-5.5 cm. long. Hypanthium 4-6. 5 (-8. 5) mm. long, 5-7 (-11) mm. across at summit, short-pilose outside, soft-pilose in lower half within. Sepals 5.5-13 mm. long, 1.8-4.2 mm. wide, short-pilose, reflexed separately. Petals (8-) 10-23 mm. long, 7- 15(-18) mm. wide. Filaments of the episepalous stamens 5.5-12 mm. long, those of the epipetalous ones 2.5-8 mm. long; anthers (2.3-) 2.8-3.5 mm. long. Style 9.5-20(-25) mm. long, pilose near the base; stigma depressed-globose, more or less 4-notched, 1.3-3.5 mm. in diameter, held well above the anthers at an thesis. Capsule 7-25 mm. long, 3-5 mm. thick, gradually attenuate to the sterile prolongation, subterete, the walls thick but evidently distended by the seeds, sessile, disintegrating irregularly the season after their formation. Seeds oblong, uniform tan to brown, 1.5-2 mm. long, 0.6-0.8 mm. thick, pitted in rows, with ca. 20 rows of pits. Gametic chromosome numbers, n = 7, 14, 21. Self-incompatible, probably with some self-compatible populations.