Jepsonia parryi

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Jepsonia parryi
Jepsoniaparryi.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Jepsonia
Species:
J. parryi
Binomial name
Jepsonia parryi
Synonyms [2]

Saxifraga parryi Torr.

Jepsonia parryi is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the saxifrage family known by the common names coast jepsonia and Parry's jepsonia. It is a small geophytic plant that flowers briefly during fall, and often only has a single leaf that may appear above the ground after or during flowering. It is native to the coast and inland hills chaparral of southern California and Baja California.

Contents

Description

This plant is a small perennial herb emerging from an enlarged underground stem, referred to as a caudex. The caudex is unbranched, shaped ovoid or rarely spherical. Typically, only one leaf is produced per plant on average, but if this leaf is injured another one may develop to replace it. The leaf is round or kidney-shaped and has a ruffled, lobed edge. Flowering is from October to February, producing a naked brown peduncle that is generally 3 to 28 cm tall, which holds a small inflorescence of fewer than four flowers. The tiny flower has tan to purplish-veined petals. [3] [4]

The leaves typically emerge after flowering has completed, although some emerge before this. In very dry years, no leaves may be produced at all. This species produces the fewest inflorescences per plant and the fewest flowers per inflorescence in the genus. It also has the shortest flowering period in the genus. [5] This species is heterostylous, meaning that the flowers have styles of differing lengths. The heterostylous condition of the species makes pollination difficult. The pollinators for this plant are hover flies and halictid bees. [6]

Taxonomy

This plant was first collected between San Diego and San Luis Rey in 1850 by Charles C. Parry. This species was described as Saxifraga parryi by John Torrey in 1859. Torrey called this plant a "remarkable species," comparing it to a Heuchera . Torrey's description is comprehensive, but contains a number of errors, such as suggesting that the leaves wither after the flowers appear, and that singular plants may possess both long and short-styled flowers. In 1896, John K. Small later transferred Saxifraga parry to the current combination Jepsonia parryi, based on the distinctive habit and floral characteristics that separate them from Saxifraga . [5] Small named the genus Jepsonia after Willis Linn Jepson. [6]

Distribution and habitat

This species is distributed in both the United States and Mexico, where it is found in the states of California and Baja California. In California, this species is found in the far southern coast and the Peninsular Ranges, distributed in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. [3] In Baja California, this plant is uncommonly found from the vicinity of Tijuana south to El Rosario, also being found on the adjacent Coronado Islands. [7]

This plant usually inhabits shrubby, rocky to brushy clay slopes, often north-facing, and usually below 1100–1200 m. [4] It is also occasionally found in rich flatlands or shaded rock crevices. The habitat's climate is usually strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Dudleya pulverulenta</i> Species of succulent plant found in the U.S. and Mexico

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<i>Dudleya brevifolia</i> Species of succulent plant from California

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<i>Lepechinia ganderi</i> Species of plant

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<i>Chorizanthe parryi</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Salvia brandegeei</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Ceanothus tomentosus</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Ceanothus verrucosus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus verrucosus is a species of shrub in the family Rhamnaceae known by the common names wart-stem ceanothus, barranca brush, coast lilac and white coast ceanothus. It is endemic to northwestern Baja California and San Diego County, where it grows in coastal sage scrub and coastal succulent scrub habitats. It is considered a rare species north of the international border, as most of the valuable coastal land that hosts this plant in the San Diego area has been claimed for development. In California, several extant populations still remain scattered around the region, such as one protected at Torrey Pines.

<i>Dudleya variegata</i> Species of succulent

Dudleya variegata is a deciduous succulent plant in the family Crassulaceae known by the common names variegated liveforever, variegated dudleya or rarely San Diego Hasseanthus. A cryptic plant that survives part of the year dormant underground from starch reserves in a corm, after sufficient rainfall, leaves will emerge, soon giving way to small inflorescences with yellow star-shaped flowers. It is native to Baja California and adjacent San Diego County in California, where it grows in several habitat types, including chaparral and vernal pools.

<i>Salvia munzii</i> Species of flowering plant

Salvia munzii is a semi-evergreen perennial species of sage known by the common name Munz's sage or San Miguel Mountain sage. It is native to northern Baja California, Mexico, and it can be found in a few locations just north of the border in San Diego County, California, where it is particularly rare. It is characterized by small leaves and clear blue flowers. It is a member of the coastal sage scrub and chaparral plant communities.

<i>Ziziphus parryi</i> Species of flowering plant

Ziziphus parryi is a species of flowering plant in the buckthorn family known by the common name Parry's jujube.

<i>Diplacus puniceus</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Dudleya arizonica</i> Species of perennial

Dudleya arizonica is a species of perennial succulent plant commonly known as the Arizona chalk dudleya and the Arizona liveforever. A member of the genus Dudleya, this species is characterized by long, red flowers that adorn a waxy rosette of succulent leaves. It resembles a reduced desert form of the more coastal chalk dudleya, Dudleya pulverulenta, but differs in its smaller stature, lower number of leaves, and orientation of the flowers. Native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, it is widespread in range, but is primarily found in scattered, widely separated localities. It can be found as far west as coastal Ensenada to the desolate desert ranges of Nevada. It is one of two species of Dudleya that occur in Arizona, the other being Dudleya saxosa subsp. collomiae, and is the only species on mainland Mexico and in Utah.

<i>Fraxinus parryi</i> Species of tree

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<i>Stachys stebbinsii</i>

Stachys stebbinsii is a species of perennial herb in the mint family commonly known as Stebbins' hedgenettle. This plant is characterized by a musky aroma, flowers with large lower lips, and glandular hairs that densely cover the stems. S. stebbinsii is native to California and northwestern Baja California. It is usually found growing in moist places in a wide variety of habitats including disturbed areas, chaparral, coastal sage scrub and mountains.

References

  1. "Jepsonia parryi". NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe. 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  2. "Jepsonia parryi". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 Park, Michael S.; Elvander, Patrick E. (2012). "Jepsonia parryi". Jepson eFlora. Jepson Flora Project. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  4. 1 2 Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). "Jepsonia parryi". Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  5. 1 2 3 Ornduff, Robert (1969). "Ecology, Morphology, and Systematics of Jepsonia (Saxifragaceae)" . Brittonia. 21 (3): 286–298. doi:10.2307/2805581. ISSN   0007-196X. JSTOR   2805581. S2CID   25219072.
  6. 1 2 Basden, Millie (10 May 2019). "Botany lessons from a small plant". Mission Times Courier. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  7. Rebman, J. P.; Gibson, J.; Rich, K. (2016). "Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Baja California, Mexico" (PDF). San Diego Society of Natural History. 45: 254. Retrieved 23 January 2022.