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Holmgrenanthe Petrophila
''Holmgrenanthe petrophila'' (rocklady, formerly ''Maurandya petrophila'') is a rare perennial desert plant in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae), and the sole species of the genus ''Holmgrenanthe''. It forms low mats of branched stems growing from a woody base. The leaves have small spines along their edges. The solitary yellow flowers are tubular with five free lobes at the end, the upper two pointing backwards, the lower three projecting forwards. The species is known only from about ten locations, most in the Titus Canyon and the adjacent Fall Canyon, all within the Californian section of Death Valley National Park. It grows in limestone crevices on the canyon walls, often on the north face. Description ''Holmgrenanthe petrophila'' is an herbaceous perennial with fibrous roots. It is low growing with slender, branched stems arising from a woody base; as it often grows on vertical faces, the stems tend to hang down. Close relatives climb using twining leaf stalks ( peti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frederick Vernon Coville
Frederick Vernon Coville (March 23, 1867 – January 9, 1937) was an American botanist who participated in the Death Valley Expedition (1890-1891), was honorary curator of the United States National Herbarium (1893-1937), worked at then was Chief botanist of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and was the first director of the United States National Arboretum. He made contribution to economic botany and helped shape American scientific policy of the time on plant and exploration research. Biography Coville was born in 1867 in Preston, New York to bank director Joseph Addison Coville and his wife Lydia. He went to Cornell University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1887. He briefly taught botany before joining the USDA and participating to the Geological Survey of Arkansas as assistant botanist in 1888. He would remain with the department until his death, succeeding to George Vasey as Chief botanist in 1893, a title accompanied with that of Honorar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gynoecium
Gynoecium (; ) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ''pistils'' and is typically surrounded by the pollen-producing reproductive organs, the stamens, collectively called the androecium. The gynoecium is often referred to as the "female" portion of the flower, although rather than directly producing female gametes (i.e. egg cells), the gynoecium produces megaspores, each of which develops into a female gametophyte which then produces egg cells. The term gynoecium is also used by botanists to refer to a cluster of archegonia and any associated modified leaves or stems present on a gametophyte shoot in mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. The corresponding terms for the male parts of those plants are clusters of antheridia within the androecium. Flowers that bear a gynoecium but no stamens are called ''pi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
California Native Plant Society
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a California environmental non-profit organization (501(c)3) that seeks to increase understanding of California's native flora and to preserve it for future generations. The mission of CNPS is to conserve California native plants and their natural habitats, and increase understanding, appreciation, and horticultural use of native plants throughout the entire state and California Floristic Province. History California Native Plant Society was founded in 1965 by professional botanists and grassroots activists who, after saving an important native plant garden in Berkeley's Tilden Regional Park, were inspired to create an ongoing organization with the mission to save and promote the native plants of California. Structure For 50 years, professional CNPS staff and volunteers have worked alongside scientists, government officials, and regional planners to protect habitats and species, and to advocate for well-informed environmental practic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Creosote Bush Scrub
Creosote bush scrub is a North American desert vegetation type (or biome) of sparsely but evenly spaced desert plants dominated by creosote bush (''Larrea tridentata'') and its associates. Its visual characterization is of widely spaced shrubs that are somewhat evenly distributed over flat or relatively flat desert areas that receive between 2 and 8 inches of rain each year. It covers the majority of the flat desert floor and relatively flat alluvial fans in the Mojave Desert, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sonoran Desert. The dominant plants that typify this vegetation type are creosote bush (''Larrea tridentata'') and its associates, white bur-sage (''Ambrosia dumosa''), brittlebush (''Encelia farinosa'', ''Encelia actoni'', ''Encelia virginensis''), cheese-bush (''Ambrosia salsola''), Mojave yucca (''Yucca schidigera''), silver cholla cactus (''Cylindropuntia echinocarpa''), and beavertail cactus (''Opuntia basilaris ''Opuntia basilaris'', the beavertail cactus or beavertail pricklype ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the point of lowest elevation in North America, at below sea level. It is east-southeast of Mount Whitney — the highest point in the contiguous United States, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). On the afternoon of July10, 1913, the National Weather Service, United States Weather Bureau recorded a high temperature of 134 °F (56.7 °C) at Furnace Creek, California, Furnace Creek in Death Valley, which stands as the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, highest ambient air temperature ever recorded on the surface of the Earth. This reading, however, and several others taken in that period are disputed by some modern experts. Lying mostly in Inyo County, California, near the border of California and Nevada, in the Great ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monophyly
In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic groups are typically characterised by shared derived characteristics ( synapomorphies), which distinguish organisms in the clade from other organisms. An equivalent term is holophyly. The word "mono-phyly" means "one-tribe" in Greek. Monophyly is contrasted with paraphyly and polyphyly as shown in the second diagram. A ''paraphyletic group'' consists of all of the descendants of a common ancestor minus one or more monophyletic groups. A '' polyphyletic group'' is characterized by convergent features or habits of scientific interest (for example, night-active primates, fruit trees, aquatic insects). The features by which a polyphyletic group is differentiated from others are not inherited from a common ancestor. These definitions have taken ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cymbalaria
''Cymbalaria'' is a genus of about 10 species of herbaceous perennial plants previously placed in the family Scrophulariaceae, but recently shown by genetic research to be in the much enlarged family Plantaginaceae. The genus is native to southern Europe. It is closely related to the genera ''Linaria'' and ''Antirrhinum'', differing in having creeping growth and flowers borne singly rather than in dense erect spikes. The common name toadflax is shared with ''Linaria'' and other related genera. The scientific name means "resembling a cymbal" for the somewhat rounded leaves. By far the best known species is ''Cymbalaria muralis'' (also called ivy-leaved toadflax, and Kenilworth ivy), native to southwest Europe. It has widely naturalised elsewhere and is commonly sold as a garden plant. ''C. muralis'' characteristically grows in sheltered crevices in walls and pathways, or in rocks and scree, making a trailing or scrambling plant up to 1 m long. Species list Accepted species are: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asarina
''Asarina'' is a flowering plant genus of only one species, ''Asarina procumbens Mill.'' Search for "Asarina", the trailing snapdragon, which is native to France and Spain and introduced in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary. Originally placed in the Scrophulariaceae (figwort family), the genus has more recently been moved to the Plantaginaceae (plantain family). Species from North America formerly placed in the genus ''Asarina'' are now placed in '' Holmgrenanthe'', ''Lophospermum'', '' Mabrya'' and ''Maurandya'', as well as '' Neogaerrhinum''. ''Asarina'' is now regarded as exclusively an Old World genus. Description The single remaining species of the now monotypic genus, ''A. procumbens'' is a foetid, strongly pubescent, viscid subshrub of trailing/mat-forming habit reaching a height of only 10-20cm. The somewhat woody main stems give rise to lax creeping/cascading stems bearing opposite, long-petioled, hairy, lobed, reniform-to-cordate leaves with crenate and often ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Molecular Phylogenetics
Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to determine the processes by which diversity among species has been achieved. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree. Molecular phylogenetics is one aspect of molecular systematics, a broader term that also includes the use of molecular data in taxonomy and biogeography. Molecular phylogenetics and molecular evolution correlate. Molecular evolution is the process of selective changes (mutations) at a molecular level (genes, proteins, etc.) throughout various branches in the tree of life (evolution). Molecular phylogenetics makes inferences of the evolutionary relationships that arise due to molecular evolution and results in the construction of a phylogenetic tree. History The theoretical frame ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhodochiton
''Rhodochiton'' is a genus of flowering plants within the family Plantaginaceae, native to southern Mexico and neighbouring Guatemala. They climb by means of twining leaf stalks. One of the three species, '' Rhodochiton atrosanguineus'', the purple bell vine, is grown as an ornamental plant. All three species are sometimes included in ''Lophospermum''. Description ''Rhodochiton'' species are herbaceous perennials. They have long climbing or sprawling stems, branching and becoming woody at the base with age. They cling by means of twining leaf stalks ( petioles). Their leaves are more or less heart-shaped, with pointed ends. The solitary flowers are carried on relatively long stalks ( peduncles) that are pendant, causing the flowers to hang downwards. The sepals, usually tinted rose or purple, are joined at the base and together form an expanded bell shape around the flower. The five petals are joined at the base to form a tube, light purple at the base and dark purple towards t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mabrya
''Mabrya'' is a genus of flowering plants in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It consists of herbaceous perennials with brittle upright or drooping stems, found in dry areas of Mexico and the southern United States. Description Species of ''Mabrya'' are herbaceous perennials with fibrous roots. They have brittle stems, usually pendant and forming mats, although more upright in ''M. erecta''. The stems branch and become woody at the base with age. Unlike related genera, such as ''Maurandya'' and ''Lophospermum'', the leaf stalks ( petioles) are straight and do not twine. The leaves are rounded or kidney shaped, generally with broad, somewhat rounded teeth. The flowers are borne individually on stalks ( peduncles) that are usually horizontal or ascending. The sepals are joined at the base; where their margins become free, they curve back on themselves. Together the sepals form an urn-shaped calyx. The flowers consist of five petals joined at the base to form a tube. The f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lophospermum
''Lophospermum'' is a genus of herbaceous perennial climbers or scramblers, native to mountainous regions of Mexico and Guatemala. Those that climb use twining leaf stalks. Their flowers are tubular, in shades of red, violet and purple, the larger flowers being pollinated by hummingbirds. Now placed in the greatly expanded family Plantaginaceae, the genus was traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae. The close relationship with some other genera, particularly ''Maurandya'' and '' Rhodochiton'', has led to confusion over the names of some species. '' Lophospermum erubescens'' and '' Lophospermum scandens'' are cultivated as ornamental plants, as climbers or trailers. Various ''Lophospermum'' cultivars are grown, often under trade names such as "Lofos®". Description ''Lophospermum'' species are herbaceous perennial climbers with fibrous roots. They climb by means of twining leaf stalks ( petioles) rather than tendrils or twining stems. The long stems are branched, becoming wo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
