''Linanthus'' is a genus of
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 ...
and
perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
s in the
phlox
''Phlox'' (; Greek φλόξ "flame"; plural "phlox" or "phloxes", Greek φλόγες ''phlóges'') is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants in the family Polemoniaceae. They are found mostly in North America (one in Siberia) in di ...
family
Polemoniaceae
The Polemoniaceae (Jacob's-ladder or phlox family) are a family of flowering plants consisting of about 25 genera with 270–400 species of annuals and perennials native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity ...
. The species are found in western North America and in Chile, with the greatest diversity in
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 ...
.
The stems are erect, with multiple branches arising directly from the base, and grow 2–15 cm tall. The
leaves
A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
are stem-like (''
cauline
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...
'') and opposite, with shapes ranging from entire to palmately lobed, the 3-9 lobes being linear to lanceolate or spatulate. Flowers have a tubular
calyx, and the
corolla may be funnel- or bell-shaped, or .
The genus name is from the Greek for "flax flower", since the flowers superficially resemble those of
flax
Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
. The genus has recently been split, with many of the species formerly included now transferred to the genus ''
Leptosiphon'' (
Jepson Manual
''The Jepson Manual'' is a flora of the vascular plants that are either native to or naturalized in California. Botanists often refer to the book simply as ''Jepson''. It is produced by the University and Jepson Herbaria, of the University of C ...
).
;Selected species
* ''
Linanthus bellus'' (Gray) Greene
* ''
Linanthus bigelovii'' (A. Gray) Greene
* ''
Linanthus concinnus''
Milliken
* ''
Linanthus demissus'' (A. Gray) Greene
* ''
Linanthus dianthiflorus'' (Benth.) Greene
* ''
Linanthus dichotomus'' Benth.
* ''
Linanthus filiformis'' (Parry ex A. Gray) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson
* ''
Linanthus inyoensis'' (I.M.Johnst.) J.M.Porter & L.A.Johnson
* ''
Linanthus jonesii
''Linanthus jonesii'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Jones' linanthus. It is native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This is a small annual herb producing a hair ...
'' (A. Gray) Greene
* ''
Linanthus killipii
''Linanthus killipii'', known by the common name Baldwin Lake linanthus, is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family.
Distribution
The plant is endemic to the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California, where it is known from ...
'' H. Mason
* ''
Linanthus maculatus
''Linanthus maculatus'' (formerly ''Gilia maculata'') is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names San Bernardino Mountain gilia and Little San Bernardino Mountains gilia. It is endemic to California, where it is ...
'' (Parish)
Milliken
* ''
Linanthus orcuttii
''Linanthus orcuttii'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Orcutt's linanthus. It is known only from southern California and Baja California, where it grows in chaparral and pine forests in the ...
'' (Parry & A. Gray) Jeps.
* ''
Linanthus parryae
''Linanthus parryae'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name sandblossoms. It is native to the western United States, growing in states including Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexi ...
'' (A. Gray) Greene
* ''
Linanthus pungens
''Linanthus pungens'' ( syn. ''Leptodactylon pungens'') is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names granite prickly-phlox and granite gilia. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to Baja C ...
'' (Torr.) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson
* ''
Linanthus watsonii
''Linanthus watsonii'' ( syn. ''Leptodactylon watsonii'') is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name Watson's prickly phlox. It is native to the western United States, where it occurs in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, ...
'' (A. Gray) J.M. Porter & L.A. Johnson
;Species formerly treated in ''Linanthus'', now transferred to ''
Leptosiphon'':
* ''Leptosiphon acicularis''
* ''Leptosiphon ambiguus''
* ''Leptosiphon androsaceus''
* ''Leptosiphon arenicola''
* ''Leptosiphon aureus''
* ''Leptosiphon bicolor''
* ''Leptosiphon bolanderi''
* ''Leptosiphon breviculus''
* ''Leptosiphon ciliatus''
* ''Leptosiphon filipes''
* ''Leptosiphon floribundus''
* ''Leptosiphon grandiflorus''
* ''Leptosiphon harknessii''
* ''Leptosiphon lemmonii''
* ''Leptosiphon liniflorus''
* ''Leptosiphon montanus''
* ''Leptosiphon nudatus''
* ''Leptosiphon nuttallii''
* ''Leptosiphon oblanceolatus''
* ''Leptosiphon pachyphyllus''
* ''Leptosiphon parviflorus''
* ''Leptosiphon pygmaeus''
* ''Leptosiphon rattanii''
* ''Leptosiphon septentrionalis''
* ''Leptosiphon serrulatus''
References
Jepson Manual: ''Linanthus''*Robert W. Patterson (1977) ''
Madroño'' 24: 36–48
Polemoniaceae genera
Flora of California
{{Polemoniaceae-stub