Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Boraginaceae: Cryptantha Species, Popcorn Flowers

Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Boraginaceae: Cryptantha species, Popcorn Flowers

Key to Cryptantha species

1. Perennial; plant bushy C. racemosa
1'. Annual (2)

2. Plant gen wider than tall; all flowers in axils of leafy bracts C. micrantha
2'. Plant taller than wide; flowers bracted or not (3)

3. Flower bracts present on at least some flowers (4)
3'. Flower bracts never present (5)

4. Flower width 0.5-1.5 mm; calyx length in fl 1-2 mm C. maritima
4'. Flower width 1-3 mm; calyx length in fl 3-4 mm C. costata

5. Nutlets winged (6)
5.' Nutlets unwinged (7)

6. Nutlet wings < 0.5 mm, entire C. holoptera
6'. Nutlet wings 0.5-1.0 mm, lobed at tip; calyx appearing inflated due to large wings C. pterocarya

7. Calyx length in fl 4-6 mm; calyx densely bristled near base C. barbigera
7'. Calyx length in fl < 4 mm (8)

8. Corolla width 1-2 mm (9)
8. Corolla width 1-8 mm (10)

9. Nutlets 1-2 C. ganderi
9'. Nutlets 4 C. nevadensis

10. One nutlet bigger than the others C. angustifolia
10'. Nutlets equal in size (11)

11. Nutlets 1(2); style < half nutlet length C. decipiens
11'. Nutlets (1-)4; style 0.9-1.3 x nutlet length (12)

12. Calyx length in fl 1-2 mm C. muricata
12'. Calyx length in fl 2-3.2 mm C. intermedia

Characteristics of Borrego Desert Cryptantha species

Name Fl
bracted Nutlet
margin
sharp
or
Winged Fl width
(mm) Calyx
length
in fl
(mm) Calyx
length
in fr
(mm) # nutlets Length
of
Style
/
Length
of
Nutlets Nutlet
Back
Smooth Nutlet
Back
Tubercled Abundance Other
Cryptantha racemosa x x 0.5-2.2 1-2 2-3.5 gen 4 >>1 x 2/5 per

Cryptantha micrantha x 0.5-6 1-3 2-3 (1)4 s s 1/8 plant gen wider than tall; root purplish

Cryptantha maritima s 0.5-1.5 1-2 2-3.1 1-2 <= 1 x 7/6
Cryptantha costata s x 1-3 3-4 4-6 4 >1 x (s) 1/6 margin sharp-angled

Cryptantha holoptera x 1-2 1-2 2-4 1-4 > 1 x 1/2 wings < 0.5 mm, entire
Cryptantha pterocarya x 1-3 2-2.5 3.2-6 3-4 s 1/7 wings 0.5-1.0 mm, lobed at tip

Cryptantha barbigera 1-8 4-6 5-10 1-4 ~1 x 8/9

Cryptantha ganderi 1-2 3-4 6-10 1-2 x 1/4
Cryptantha nevadensis 1-2 1.8-4 4-10 4 >~ 1 x 0/2

Cryptantha angustifolia 1-5 1-3.6 2.5-4 4 1.6 x 5/10 one nutlet bigger than the others

Cryptantha decipiens 1-5 1.5-2.5 2-4 1-2 < 0.5 s x 1/0

Cryptantha intermedia 2-8 2-3.2 3.5-6 1-4 0.9-1.3 x 1/2
Cryptantha muricata 1-8 1-2 2-4.2 4(2-4) >1 x 1/4
http://tchester.org/bd/species/boraginaceae/cryptantha.html
Updated 10 February 2009.

Plant Species of the Borrego Desert: Boraginaceae: Cryptantha species, Popcorn Flowers

Key to Cryptantha species

Characteristics of Borrego Desert Cryptantha species

1. Perennial; plant bushy	C. racemosa
1'. Annual	(2)

2. Plant gen wider than tall; all flowers in axils of leafy bracts	C. micrantha
2'. Plant taller than wide; flowers bracted or not	(3)

3. Flower bracts present on at least some flowers	(4)
3'. Flower bracts never present	(5)

4. Flower width 0.5-1.5 mm; calyx length in fl 1-2 mm	C. maritima
4'. Flower width 1-3 mm; calyx length in fl 3-4 mm	C. costata

5. Nutlets winged	(6)
5.' Nutlets unwinged	(7)

6. Nutlet wings < 0.5 mm, entire	C. holoptera
6'. Nutlet wings 0.5-1.0 mm, lobed at tip; calyx appearing inflated due to large wings	C. pterocarya

7. Calyx length in fl 4-6 mm; calyx densely bristled near base	C. barbigera
7'. Calyx length in fl < 4 mm	(8)

8. Corolla width 1-2 mm	(9)
8. Corolla width 1-8 mm	(10)

9. Nutlets 1-2	C. ganderi
9'. Nutlets 4	C. nevadensis

10. One nutlet bigger than the others	C. angustifolia
10'. Nutlets equal in size	(11)

11. Nutlets 1(2); style < half nutlet length	C. decipiens
11'. Nutlets (1-)4; style 0.9-1.3 x nutlet length	(12)

12. Calyx length in fl 1-2 mm	C. muricata
12'. Calyx length in fl 2-3.2 mm	C. intermedia

Name	Fl bracted	Nutlet margin sharp or Winged	Fl width (mm)	Calyx length in fl (mm)	Calyx length in fr (mm)	# nutlets	Length of Style / Length of Nutlets	Nutlet Back Smooth	Nutlet Back Tubercled	Abundance	Other
Cryptantha racemosa	x	x	0.5-2.2	1-2	2-3.5	gen 4	>>1		x	2/5	per

Cryptantha micrantha	x		0.5-6	1-3	2-3	(1)4		s	s	1/8	plant gen wider than tall; root purplish

Cryptantha maritima	s		0.5-1.5	1-2	2-3.1	1-2	<= 1	x		7/6
Cryptantha costata	s	x	1-3	3-4	4-6	4	>1	x	(s)	1/6	margin sharp-angled

Cryptantha holoptera		x	1-2	1-2	2-4	1-4	> 1		x	1/2	wings < 0.5 mm, entire
Cryptantha pterocarya		x	1-3	2-2.5	3.2-6	3-4			s	1/7	wings 0.5-1.0 mm, lobed at tip

Cryptantha barbigera			1-8	4-6	5-10	1-4	~1		x	8/9

Cryptantha ganderi			1-2	3-4	6-10	1-2		x		1/4
Cryptantha nevadensis			1-2	1.8-4	4-10	4	>~ 1		x	0/2

Cryptantha angustifolia			1-5	1-3.6	2.5-4	4	1.6		x	5/10	one nutlet bigger than the others

Cryptantha decipiens			1-5	1.5-2.5	2-4	1-2	< 0.5	s	x	1/0

Cryptantha intermedia			2-8	2-3.2	3.5-6	1-4	0.9-1.3		x	1/2
Cryptantha muricata			1-8	1-2	2-4.2	4(2-4)	>1		x	1/4