Stanleya pinnata
Encyclopedia
Stanleya pinnata, also known as Prince's Plume, is a species of flowering plant in the mustard family
known by the common name desert princesplume. It is native to the western United States, where it occurs in many types of open habitat, including deserts, foothills, rocky cliffs, sagebrush, and prairie. It prefers alkali- and gypsum-rich soils. It is a perennial herb or shrub
producing several erect stems reaching up to about 1.5 meters in maximum height. The stems are hairless, often waxy in texture, and have woody bases. The leaves have fleshy blades up to 15 centimeters long by 5 wide which are divided into several long, narrow lobes. The blades are borne on petioles
. The top of the stem is occupied by a long inflorescence
which is a dense raceme
of many flowers. Each flower has narrow yellowish sepal
s which open to reveal four bright yellow petals each up to 2 centimeters long. The stamen
s protruding from the flower's center may approach 3 centimeters in length. The fruit is a curving, wormlike silique
up to 8 centimeters long.
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
known by the common name desert princesplume. It is native to the western United States, where it occurs in many types of open habitat, including deserts, foothills, rocky cliffs, sagebrush, and prairie. It prefers alkali- and gypsum-rich soils. It is a perennial herb or shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
producing several erect stems reaching up to about 1.5 meters in maximum height. The stems are hairless, often waxy in texture, and have woody bases. The leaves have fleshy blades up to 15 centimeters long by 5 wide which are divided into several long, narrow lobes. The blades are borne on petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
. The top of the stem is occupied by a long 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...
which is a dense raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
of many flowers. Each flower has narrow yellowish sepal
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...
s which open to reveal four bright yellow petals each up to 2 centimeters long. The stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s protruding from the flower's center may approach 3 centimeters in length. The fruit is a curving, wormlike silique
Silique
A silique or siliqua is a fruit of 2 fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. The outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe, leaving a persistent partition...
up to 8 centimeters long.