''Amsinkiopsis'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus of flowering plants in the borage family consisting of the species ''Amsinckiopsis kingii''''. A. kingii'' was previously considered part of the genus '' Plagiobothrys'', until phylogenetic study proved the genus to be polyphyletic (coming from more than one common ancestor). ''Amsinkiopsis kingii'', known by the common name Great Basin popcornflower, is native to the

Great Basin The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic basin, endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja California ...

and

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...

of the United States, where it grows in desert and plateau scrub habitat, among

saltbush Saltbush is a vernacular plant name that most often refers to ''Atriplex'', a genus of about 250 plants distributed worldwide from subtropical to subarctic regions. ''Atriplex'' species are native to Australia, North and South America, and Eurasia. ...

and on rocky slopes and flats.

Description

''Amsinkiopsis kingii'' is an annual herb growing mostly upright or erect and just a few centimeters tall to a maximum height around 40 centimeters. It is hairy in texture, the hairs coarse and rough. The leaves are alternately arranged along the stem and no more than 6 centimeters long. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

is a series of tiny white flowers each 4 to 7 millimeters wide. The fruit is a tiny arched, ribbed nutlet.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Plagiobothrys kingii''''Plagiobothrys kingii'' Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q111802543, from2=Q111802531, from3=Q7200472 Boraginaceae genera Plants described in 2020 Boraginoideae Monotypic Boraginales genera