Phacelia inundata
Encyclopedia
Phacelia inundata is a species of phacelia
known by the common name playa phacelia. It is native to the Modoc Plateau
and surrounding areas in Oregon
, western Nevada
, and northeastern California
, where it grows in the alkaline soils of playas and dry lakebeds.
is a curving or coiling cyme of bell-shaped flowers each no more than half a centimeter long. Unlike many phacelias which have blooms in shades of purple and blue, this species has bright yellow flowers.
Phacelia
Phacelia is a genus of about 200 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants, native to North and South America....
known by the common name playa phacelia. It is native to the Modoc Plateau
Modoc Plateau
The Modoc Plateau lies in the northeast corner of California as well as parts of Oregon and Nevada. It is a mile-high expanse of lava flows with cinder cones, juniper flats, pine forests, and seasonal lakes. The plateau is thought to have been formed approximately 25 million years ago...
and surrounding areas in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, western Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and northeastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in the alkaline soils of playas and dry lakebeds.
Description
It is an annual herb spreading along the ground or growing erect to a maximum height near 40 centimeters. It is glandular and coated in stiff hairs. The small leaves are oval or oblong and lobed or divided into segments. The inflorescenceInflorescence
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. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a curving or coiling cyme of bell-shaped flowers each no more than half a centimeter long. Unlike many phacelias which have blooms in shades of purple and blue, this species has bright yellow flowers.