Phacelia purpusii
Encyclopedia
Phacelia purpusii is a species of phacelia
known by the common name Purpus' phacelia that is endemic to California
where it can be found in forests and other habitats within Sierra Nevada or farther north in the southernmost portion of the Cascades
and adjacent Modoc Plateau
.
It is a glandular and hairy-textured annual
herb
exhibiting a mostly erect habit to a maximum height of about 40 centimeters. Its oval leaves
are up to 5 centimeters long and smooth or lobed along the edges, and its hairy inflorescence
s are one-sided, curving or coiling cymes of tiny, bell-shaped flower
s. Each flower is under a centimeter long and a shade of light purple.
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 Purpus' phacelia that is endemic to 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 can be found in forests and other habitats within Sierra Nevada or farther north in the southernmost portion of the Cascades
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
and adjacent 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...
.
It is a glandular and hairy-textured annual
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
exhibiting a mostly erect habit to a maximum height of about 40 centimeters. Its oval leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are up to 5 centimeters long and smooth or lobed along the edges, and its hairy inflorescence
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. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are one-sided, curving or coiling cymes of tiny, bell-shaped flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s. Each flower is under a centimeter long and a shade of light purple.