Pterostegia drymarioides    F. & M.   Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family)   Native   Pterostegia      Granny's Hairnet

                                           May Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Annual with dichotomous diffusely branched slender, mostly prostrate, pubescent stems; lvs. opposite, fan-shaped to broadly elliptical, entire or 2-lobed, short petioled, 0.5-2 cm. long, often broader; bracts foliaceous, often reddish, each subtending a fl., 2-lobed and enlarged in fr., scarious and reticulate, loosely enclosing the ak., 2-gibbous on the back, 1.5-2 mm. long in fr.; calyx reddish, mostly 6-parted into oblong-lanceolate segms., ca. 1 mm. long; stamens 3 or 6; style 3-cleft; aks. ovoid-triangular, glabrous, ca. 1 mm. long.

Habitat:  Common especially in shade of shrubs, rocks, etc., below 5000 ft.; many Plant Communities; cismontane to Ore., L. Calif.; occasional in desert.  March-July.

Name:  Greek, pteron, a wing, and stege, covering, referring to the bract.  Munz, Flora So. Calif. 705.  Gr. drymodes, of the woods, woody.  (Jaeger 86).  N.L. oid = oides, a contraction of Greek -o+eidos denoting likeness of form, a thing that is like.  (Jaeger 172).  Drymarioides, like a plant growing in the woods?  John Johnson suggests that the author of the species was comparing this plant with one he knew that grew in the woods.

General:  Occasional in the study area, having been found in two places on the Castaway's Bluffs.  Found again in 2001 on the bluff edge at the intersection of Eastbluff Dr. and Back Bay Dr and in 2005 on the north-facing slope above the intersection of Back Bay Dr. and San Joaquin Hill Rd.. (my comments).      One species in the genus.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 705).

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. II 1; Hickman, Ed. 892; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 705.  Roberts 34.

Photo Ref:  April-May 91 # 32, 33, Mar-April 01 #13; April 04 #13A.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found:  May 1991.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 411.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 3/4/05.

                                 May Photo                                                                                May Photo