8. Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 379. 1882
Plants decumbent to prostrate or ascending, villous annual herbs 0.5-2(-2.5) × 0.5-10 dm. Leaves basal, oblanceolate; leaf-blades (0.5-)1-5 × (0.3-)0.4-0.7(-1) cm wide, villous, acute apically, gradually tapering to a villous petiole (0.5-)1-3 cm. Inflorescences rather dense with the secondary branches suppressed; bracts 2, opposite, similar to the leaves at the lower nodes only reduced, 0.5-5 × 0.2-0.7 cm, short petiolate, becoming narrowly elliptic to linear-lanceolate and aciculate at the upper nodes, acerose; awns 0.5-1.2 mm. Involucres solitary; tubes cylindrical and often ventricose basally, 3-angled but 6-ribbed, 1.5-3 mm, villous, corrugate, without a scarious margin or if so then thin, white to pink and restricted to the basal portions of the teeth; teeth 6, spreading; awns uncinate or straight with the longer ones 2-3 mm and the anterior one mostly 2.5-3 mm, these alternating with the shorter (1-1.5(-1.7) mm) ones. Flowers 1, included to slightly, cylindric, 2-3 mm, bicolored with the floral tube white and the perianth lobes white to rose, pubescent; perianth lobes monomorphic, oblong, truncate to 3-lobed and distinctly cuspidate apically, united <1/4 their length. Stamens 9, slightly exserted; filaments free, attached at the base of the floral tube, 2-3 mm, glabrous; anthers 0.3-0.4 mm, narrowly oblong, cream to rose. Achenes globose-lenticular, light brown, 2-3 mm.
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): w North America (California) - see map showing post-1950 of var. cuspidata (yellow box), pre-1950 of var. cuspidata (blue pin) and var. villosa (red Xs).1. Involucral awns uncinate apically; San Francisco area. 7a. Chorizanthe cuspidata var. cuspidata
1. Involucral awns straight throughout; Marin and Sonoma cos. 7b. Chorizanthe cuspidata var. villosa8a. Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson var. cuspidata • San Francisco spineflower
Chorizanthe pungens Bentham var. cuspidata (S. Watson) Parry; C. cuspidata var. marginata GoodmanPlants decumbent to prostrate, 0.5-1.5 × 0.5-10 dm. Leaf-blades 0.5-2(-2.5) × 0.3-0.7 cm. Involucres 1-2 mm, with or without a thin, pinkish scarious margin; awns uncinate apically. Flowers 2-2.5 mm. Achenes 2-2.5 mm.
Flowering spring-summer (Apr-Jul). Sandy places in coastal scrub communities, and in oak woodlands; 0-215 m; wc Calif.- see map showing detail of distribution of var. cuspidata in the San Francisco area.Chorizanthe cuspidata var. cuspidata is localized in the greater San Francisco area of California where it is rapidly becoming rare due to increased development. No collections of the San Francisco spineflower has been found in Marin or Alameda counties since 1881. The variety may still be seen in San Mateo Co., but here again, the number of known populations has greatly decreased since the 1950s.
County Listings:
CALIFORNIA: Alameda, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo
8b. Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson var. villosa (Eastwood) Munz, Aliso 4: 89. 1958 • Villose spineflower
Chorizanthe villosa Eastwood, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 30: 485. 1903Plants ascending to slightly erect, 0.5-2. × 0.5-10 dm. Leaf-blades 1-5 × 0.4-1 cm. Involucres (2-)2.5-3 mm, without a scarious margin; awns straight throughout their length, rarely curved or with an individual awn uncinate. Flowers 2.5-3 mm. Achenes 2.5-3 mm. n = 19-21.
Flowering spring-summer (May-Aug). Sandy places in coastal scrub communities; 0-60 m; wc Calif. - see map showing detail of distribution of var. villosaChorizanthe cuspidata var. villosa is more common than its southern counterpart, thanks in large part to the habitat protection provided at the Point Reyes National Seashore. The villose spineflower occurs from Point Reyes in Marin Co., California, to Bodega Bay in Sonoma Co. In identifying dried material, some of the awns of var. villosa may become bent due to pressing so as to resemble var. cuspidata. However, some uncinate awns on individual involucres in the field can be found on an occasional plant of var. villosa, but the condition is never uniform throughout the plant.
Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson var. villosa - habit
Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson var. villosa - inflorescences
Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson var. villosa - details of leaves and inflorescence
Chorizanthe cuspidata S. Watson var. villosa - details of involucres and flowers
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