Abronia umbellata
Encyclopedia
Abronia umbellata is a flowering perennial plant native
to the western United States. Other common names include Beach Sand Verbena and Purple Sand Verbena.
in areas with low precipitation, it can become a striking carpet-like groundcover
in undisturbed areas after winter rains. Pink Sand Verbena tolerates seaside conditions and is found on the west coast of the North America from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California
, Mexico
. Sand Verbena is typically found on beaches and sand dunes, below the coastal sage scrub
, blooming throughout most of the year.
, ovate
to diamond-shape with stems
as long as leaf blades, stems are often hairy) and pink to purple colored flowers with white centers. Flowers occur in clusters subtended by 5-8 lanceolate bracts. The flowers do not have petals, but the calyx
lobes are cleft giving the appearance of 10-16 petals. The limbs of the perianth
is bright colored sometimes to purplish magenta and the tube can be green or red but always-glandular pubescent. The tube includes one pistil and three stamens.
A. umbellata frequently hybridizes with other species of Abronia, including Abronia maritima
. Its flower is fragrant at night and attracts moths. The foliage can be deciduous based on environmental stress. This plant is sometimes used in California in native plant gardening.
by the gardner Jean Nicolas Collignon
of the French La Pérouse
expedition, which had stopped at the capitol of Alta California
as part of a journey of scientific exploration spanning the Pacific Ocean. While Collignon and his shipmates perished in a wreck near Vanikoro
, some of his collection had previously been shipped back to France during a stop at the Portuguese
-held Macao
, including the seeds of Abronia umbellata. They were planted at the Jardin des Plantes
in Paris, and Lambert eventually named their descendants Abronia umbellata, making this species the first Californian flower described by science.
Native plant
Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...
to the western United States. Other common names include Beach Sand Verbena and Purple Sand Verbena.
Distribution
Generally found in sandy, well-drained soilSoil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
in areas with low precipitation, it can become a striking carpet-like groundcover
Groundcover
Groundcover refers to any plant that grows over an area of ground, used to provide protection from erosion and drought, and to improve its aesthetic appearance .- Ecosystem :...
in undisturbed areas after winter rains. Pink Sand Verbena tolerates seaside conditions and is found on the west coast of the North America from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Sand Verbena is typically found on beaches and sand dunes, below the coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
, blooming throughout most of the year.
Description
Abronia umbellata is a prostrate perennial with thick, succulent leaves (leaves occur few to many and are slender, glabrous to glandular, oppositeOpposite
Opposite may refer to:* Opposite , a word that means the opposite of a word* Botany: "Opposite" is a kind of arrangement of leaves* Additive inverse, in mathematics, taking the negative of a number...
, ovate
Leaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
to diamond-shape with stems
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
as long as leaf blades, stems are often hairy) and pink to purple colored flowers with white centers. Flowers occur in clusters subtended by 5-8 lanceolate bracts. The flowers do not have petals, but the calyx
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
lobes are cleft giving the appearance of 10-16 petals. The limbs of the perianth
Perianth
The term perianth has two similar but separate meanings in botany:* In flowering plants, the perianth are the outer, sterile whorls of a flower...
is bright colored sometimes to purplish magenta and the tube can be green or red but always-glandular pubescent. The tube includes one pistil and three stamens.
A. umbellata frequently hybridizes with other species of Abronia, including Abronia maritima
Abronia maritima
Abronia maritima is a species of sand verbena known by the common name red sand verbena. This is a beach-adapted perennial plant native to the coastlines of southern California, including the Channel Islands, and northern Baja California...
. Its flower is fragrant at night and attracts moths. The foliage can be deciduous based on environmental stress. This plant is sometimes used in California in native plant gardening.
History in Europe
Originally described by the British botanist Aylmer Lambert, Abronia umbellata was collected in 1786 from Monterey, CaliforniaMonterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
by the gardner Jean Nicolas Collignon
Jean Nicolas Collignon
Jean Nicolas Collignon was a gardener and botanist from the Jardin du Roi who served on the La Pérouse expedition to the South Seas ....
of the French La Pérouse
La Perouse
La Perouse may refer to* Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse, a French naval officer and explorer,and the following places which were named after him:* La Perouse, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney...
expedition, which had stopped at the capitol of Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
as part of a journey of scientific exploration spanning the Pacific Ocean. While Collignon and his shipmates perished in a wreck near Vanikoro
Vanikoro
Vanikoro is an island from the Santa Cruz group, located 118 km to the Southeast of the main Santa Cruz group. It belongs administratively to the Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands....
, some of his collection had previously been shipped back to France during a stop at the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
-held Macao
Mação
Mação is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 400.0 km² and a total population of 7,763 inhabitants.The municipality is composed of eight parishes, and is located in the Santarém District....
, including the seeds of Abronia umbellata. They were planted at the Jardin des Plantes
Jardin des Plantes
The Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France. It is one of seven departments of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. It is situated in the 5ème arrondissement, Paris, on the left bank of the river Seine and covers 28 hectares .- Garden plan :The grounds of the Jardin des...
in Paris, and Lambert eventually named their descendants Abronia umbellata, making this species the first Californian flower described by science.
External links
- Jepson Manual treatment - Ambronia umbellata
- USDA Plants Profile: Abronia umbellata
- Abronia umbellata - Photo Gallery
- Cal.Flora.net profile: Abronia umbellata
- Las Pilates Nursery profile: Abronia umbellata
- EFLORA profile: Abronia umbellata
- The University of Texas at Austin treatment: Abronia umbellata