Frankenia jamesii | |
---|---|
Frankenia jamesii growing from gypsum in White Sands National Park, New Mexico | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Frankeniaceae |
Genus: | Frankenia |
Species: | F. jamesii |
Binomial name | |
Frankenia jamesii | |
Frankenia jamesii, known by the common names of pearly mockheather and James's sea heath, is a low growing shrub from the south-central United states from southern Colorado to the far western end of Texas. It has small leaves that are reminiscent of needle like leaves of common heather, suggesting one of its common names. It is a member of the Frankenia genus, which is the only genus in the family of flowering plants. It is best known for growing on gypsum soils.
Frankenia jamesii is a short, rounded shrub, 15–50 centimeters in height. The stems are covered in hairs that are either backwards facing or stand-outwards from them. The stems are branched. [2]
Its leaves are quite small and narrow, only 1.5–8.5 millimeters long and 0.5–1 millimeter wide. They are narrow, almost grass like (linear leaves) to having a slightly egg-like shape with the widest portion towards the base (narrow ovate leaves). Usually they are attached directly to the stem or only have a very short leaf stem (petiole) attaching it to the main stem. The leaves are yellow-green with a gray cast. The edges of the leaves are strongly rolled downward (revolute leaf). The lower surface of the leaves is almost entirely concealed by the tight roll of the leaves while the upper surface is either smooth in texture or only having a few scattered hairs. The leaves are in pairs on opposite sides of the stems. [2]
The flowers are found in axils of leaf buds at the end of the stem branches and are attached directly to the main stem. [3] The flower petals are white and broader near the tip than towards the base. Usually the flowers will have five petals, but will sometimes have four or six. Each petal is quite small, just 5–12 millimeters. Behind the petals the calyx (sepals) is 4.5–7.3 millimeters with a typical five lobes, though occasionally just four. Each flower will have a normal six stamens, though also as few as three or as many as eight, and they measure 5.3–8.5 millimeters. [2]
The fruit is a capsule with one ivory to golden-brown seed. The seeds are largely egg shaped with a strong conic point and 2–3 millimeters in size. [2]
Frankenia jamesii was scientifically described and named by the botanist Asa Gray using information from John Torrey in 1873. [4] Gray said the specimens he examined to describe the species were collected from near Pueblo in the Colorado Territory by Edward Lee Greene. [5] It had also been collected by Charles Wright in 1849 during an expedition to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. [6]
As of 2024 [update] Plants of the World Online and World Flora Online list it as having no subspecies or synonyms. [4] [7]
The genus name of this species is named for the botanist Johann Frankenius, a Swedish botanist who lived from 1590 to 1661. [8] In Asa Gray's article on the species he credited John Torrey with giving the species its name, jamesii, for Edwin James who had collected specimens for Torrey. [5] Frankenia jamesii is known by the common names "pearly mockheather" [9] or "mockheather" because of some resemblance of the leaves and stems to the old world common heather. [10] Its genus name, "Frankenia", is also sometimes used as a common name. [11] Similarly it is also known as "James's sea heath", combining a common name for the genus with that of the species name. [2]
Pearly mockheather is only found in three western US states, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. [4] Within those states it is found in the southern counties of Colorado, in four counties in central New Mexico, and just two counties in the far west of Texas near El Paso. [12]
Mockheather is noted for growing in soils containing large amounts of gypsum and even in gypsum sands such as those found in White Sands National Park in New Mexico. Though it is not exclusively found on such soils. [13] It is also found on sand dunes, sandy soils, silty soils, and alkaline shales. [2] [6] They are also a salt tolerant species of plant and a plant of secondary importance on salt or alkali flats. [14] It is found at elevations from 1100 to 2000 meters. [2]
NatureServe evaluated Frankenia jamesii as apparently secure at a global level (G4) and in the state of New Mexico (S4) in 1989. They did not evaluate the populations of either Texas or Colorado. [1] When the beetle Mediterranean tamarisk beetle ( Diorhabda elongata ) was released in North America to control invasive tamarisk trees there was fear that it would attack Frankenia species. Field research in 2003 found no damage to F. jamesii plants. [15]
Pearly mockheather is occasionally recommended as a drought hardy rock garden plant. [16]
Aquilegia coerulea, the Colorado columbine, Rocky Mountain columbine, or blue columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to the Rocky Mountains and some of the surrounding states of the western United States. It is the state flower of Colorado. The Latin specific name coerulea means "sky blue".
Berberis repens commonly known as creeping mahonia, creeping grape holly, or creeping barberry, is a species of Berberis native to most of the western United States and two western provinces of Canada. It is low growing shrub that spreads by underground stems. As a species it is well adapted to fire and is a very common understory plant in western forests. An evergreen species, it provides food to deer and elk in winter and can make up a significant part of their diet. The berries are eaten by birds and small mammals, aiding it in spreading to recently disturbed areas. It has found use as a xeric ornamental plant and has escaped from cultivation in areas beyond its native range.
Rubus deliciosus is a North American species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to the United States. Common names include the delicious raspberry, boulder raspberry, Rocky Mountain raspberry or snowy bramble.
Brickellia californica, known by the common name California brickellbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
Frankenia palmeri is a species of flowering plant in the frankenia family, Frankeniaceae, known by the common name Palmer's seaheath, Palmer's frankenia, or yerba reuma. It is native to the coastline of northwestern Mexico, as well as San Diego County, California, in the United States. It is a plant of sand dunes, beaches, alkali flats, and salt marshes, where it thrives due to its adaptation to saline soils. This is a small, tangling shrub less than a meter tall with spreading stems lined with clusters of knobby, fleshy leaves. Toward the ends of branches flowers appear among the leaf clusters. Each flower has white petals 3 or 4 millimeters long, often washed with pink toward the throat and with pink anthers. The plant is becoming increasingly rare as its habitat on valuable coastal land is consumed for development.
Glossopetalon spinescens, syn. Forsellesia spinescens, is a species of flowering shrub in the family Crossosomataceae known by the common names greasebush, spiny greasebush, Nevada greasewood and spring greasebush.
Frankenia johnstonii is a species of flowering plant known by the common name Johnston's seaheath, or Johnston's frankenia. It is native to southern Texas in the United States and northern Nuevo León in Mexico, where there are about 30 occurrences known. The plant was federally listed as an endangered species in the United States in 1984. It was found to be more abundant than previously thought and it was proposed for delisting in 2003.
Hesperidanthus argillaceus, syn. Schoenocrambe argillacea, is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family, known by the common names clay reed-mustard, Uinta Basin plainsmustard, and clay thelypody.
Draba exunguiculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae known by the common names clawless draba and Grays Peak draba. It is endemic to Colorado in the United States.
Oenothera harringtonii is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names Arkansas Valley evening primrose and Colorado Springs evening primrose. It is endemic to the state of Colorado in the United States.
Pediomelum tenuiflorum, the slimflower scurfpea, is a perennial in the pea family. It is about 2–3 feet (0.6–0.9 m) tall and has a lot of leaves on top. Its leaves can reach a length of 3 inches (80 mm). This flower can be found mainly in the central and southwestern U.S.
Berberis haematocarpa, Woot. with the common names red barberry, red Mexican barbery, Colorado barberry and Mexican barberry, is a species in the Barberry family in southwestern North America. It is also sometimes called algerita, but that name is more often applied to its relative, Mahonia trifoliolata.
Chionophila tweedyi, or Tweedy's snowlover, is a perennial herb in the plantain family. It is native to Idaho and Montana in the western United States.
Penstemon whippleanus, commonly known as dusky penstemon, dusky beardtongue, Whipple's penstemon, or Whipple's beardtongue, is a summer blooming perennial flower in the large Penstemon genus. It is a widespread plant within the hemiboreal forests of the Rocky Mountains in North America. It is noted for the large deep purple-red flowers and a preference for high mountain elevations.
Penstemon caespitosus, commonly known as mat penstemon, is a summer blooming perennial flower in the large Penstemon genus. It is a widespread plant from near timberline to the foothills in the Southern Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau in North America. It is noted for its ground hugging growth habit and as a plant used in xeriscape and rock gardening.
Lupinus caudatus is a widespread species of wildflower in genus Lupinus from western North America known by the common names tailcup lupin and spurred lupin. It is distinctive for the short spur on its purple-blue flowers, for which it is named. Because of its wide distribution and toxicity it commonly causes poisonings of susceptible livestock such as horses, cattle, and sheep, though it is eaten without harm by wild herbivores like deer and elk. It is generally found from the Coastal Ranges and Sierra Nevada Mountains in the west to the Rocky Mountains in the east.
Nolina texana, the Texas sacahuiste or Texas beargrass, is a plant in the asparagus family that resembles a large clump of grass. It grows in the south central United States and Northern Mexico. They are sometimes grown as a garden plant in xeriscape or native plant gardens.
Townsendia grandiflora, commonly called largeflower ground-daisy, largeflower townsendia, or showy townsendia is an inconspcious plant of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and nearby shortgrass prairies. They are usually found in somewhat eroded or rocky areas such as the sides of hills, banks, and mesas. They are part of the Townsendia genus, which can be difficult for both amateur and expert botanists to correctly identify. A short-lived plant, they are nonetheless grown by rock garden enthusiasts for their relatively large daisy-like flowers.
Noccaea fendleri more commonly known as wild candytuft and alpine pennycress is a wildflower in the mustard family from western North America. It grows in mountains from northern Mexico to the northern United States. It blooms early in the spring and provides nectar to butterflies.
Trifolium parryi, commonly known as Parry's clover or Parry clover, is a high altitude species of plant from the western United States. It grows in the Rocky Mountains from southern Montana to northern New Mexico. It is a short plant that is adapted to the harsh conditions and short growing season near and above timberline.