annual cryptanthas

(catseyes)
genus Cryptantha

Member of popcorn flowers and cryptanthas
borage family (family Boraginaceae)
borages (order Boraginales)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for extremely rare examples that I don't expect to encounter, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.
Caution: The key to distinguish these species is not complete.

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popcorn flowers and cryptanthas are difficult to distinguish between and among each other except by minute features of their nutlets. Nutlets may be found within the older (proximal) calyxes while younger flowers bloom above.

Key features:

• stem erect, decumbent, or prostrate
• lower cauline leaves alternate or opposite (upper cauline leaves may differ)
• basal leaves present, withered, or gone
• color of abaxial leaf midveins and margins, staining or not
• number and position of bracts
• inflorescence strongly coiled toward tip or not
• petal diameter (of the roundish, spreading portion of an individual petal beyond the corolla throat); earlier (proximal) flowers tend to be larger and later (distal) flowers smaller
• color of raised corolla appendages (at the junction of corolla limbs where petals merge)
• calyx length, hair color, base fleshy, lobe shape, lobes bent or straight [generally upward], lobe midvein stout or slender
• pedicel length, thick & hollow or slender and solid

Unlike for popcorn flowers (genus Plagiobothrys), Jepson doesn’t say that the appendages fade to white after pollination, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

Species are ordered here from most to least common.

cleveland’s cryptantha
Cryptantha clevelandii

• characteristics differ by subspecies
• petal diameter 1–5 mm
• appendages yellow or pale yellow
• 1–4 nutlets

tejon cryptantha
Cryptantha microstachys

• petal diameter 0.5–1.5 mm
• corolla appendages tiny, ± white
• 1 nutlet, smooth

pointed cryptantha
Cryptantha muricata

• characteristics differ by subspecies
• petal diameter 1.5–8 mm
• corolla appendages yellow to white
• 3–4 nutlets

beach cryptantha
Cryptantha leiocarpa

• petal diameter 1–2.5 mm
• corolla appendages pale yellow
• 4 nutlets, smooth

torrey’s cryptantha
Cryptantha torreyana

• petal diameter 1–2
• corolla appendages minute and white or none
• 3–4 nutlets, smooth

gravel cryptantha
Cryptantha decipiens

• petal diameter 1–1.5 mm
• no corolla appendages
• 1 nutlet, fine-grainy, ± white-papillate
• very rare in the diablo range

nevada cryptantha
Cryptantha nevadensis

• characteristics differ by subspecies
• petal diamter 1–5 mm
• corolla appendages pale yellow or tiny and white
• 3–4 nutlets
• very rare in the east bay

clearwater cryptantha
Cryptantha intermedia

• characteristics differ by subspecies; bay-area subspecies not known
• petal diameter 3–8 mm
• corolla appendages ± yellow
• 1–4 nutlets
• very rare in the diablo range

pygmyflower cryptantha
Cryptantha micromeres

• petal diameter ± 0.5 mm
• no corolla appendages
• 4 nutlets, 0.7–1 mm, tubercled (sometimes with one larger than the others and smooth)

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1 observed taxon / 9 unobserved taxons / 1 key

Chris’s observations: 24 (22 are research grade)

Locations:

• Calero CP: 7
• Santa Teresa CP: 6
• Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve: 4
• Máyyan 'Ooyákma Coyote Ridge OSP: 3
• Almaden Quicksilver CP
• Henry Coe SP
• Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP
• Sierra Vista OSP

Months:

• Mar.: 6
• Apr.: 12
• May: 5
• Jun.: 1

For more details, use advanced search.

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Not all sites include this taxon:

• genus Cryptantha → iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora
• not yet listed → FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora