''Downingia insignis'' is a species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the
bellflower family known by the common names harlequin calicoflower and cupped downingia.
This showy wildflower is native to the western United States from
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
to
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...
, where it is a resident of lakesides and
vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe ...
ecosystems.
Description
This
annual
Annual may refer to:
* Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
** Literary annual
* Annual plant
* Annual report
* Annual giving
* Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
* Annuals (b ...
grows on a branching erect stem with small, pointed leaves at intervals. At the top of each stem branch is one or more flowers, each one to one and a half centimeters wide. The upper lip is made up of two narrow, pointed lobes which are purple or blue with prominent dark veining. The lower lip is the same veined color with a central blotch of white. In the white area are two yellow spots, which are raised into nipplelike projections, and sometimes spots of darker purple near the mouth of the tube. The lower lip is divided into three lobes which may be pointed or rounded. The fruit is a
capsule four to eight centimeters long. The
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s are fused into an erect stalk holding a light-colored anther.
References
External links
Jepson Manual TreatmentPhoto gallery
insignis
{{Campanulaceae-stub