Common Names
Common Names in English:
Dwarf Sandverbena, Fragrant White Sand Verbena, Fragrant White Sandverbena, Heart's-Delight
Description
Family Nyctaginaceae
Herbs, shrubs
, trees
, or sometimes spiny
vines
. Leaves opposite, alternate, or whorled
; stipules absent; petiole
usually present, well defined; leaf blade
simple
, herbaceous or slightly fleshy
, margin
entire. Inflorescences mostly terminal
, less often axillary
, of cymes, umbels, or verticils
, sometimes 1-flowered or fasciculate, often grouped into panicles; bracts often inconspicuous, sometimes forming calyxlike involucre, or large and brightly colored
. Flowers bisexual
, rarely unisexual
or polygamous, actinomorphic
. Perianth constricted
beyond the ovary, base
persistent
, closely enclosing ovary which appears inferior, limb petaloid
beyond constriction, tubular
, funnelform
, or campanulate
, apex 5-10-lobed, lobes
plicate
or valvate
in bud, persistent or caducous
. Disk absent. Stamens (1-) 3-5(-many), hypogynous, free
or connate
at base, involute
in bud; anthers
2-loculed, dehiscence longitudinal
. Ovary superior, 1-loculed; ovule 1. Style 1; stigma globose
. Fruit an achenelike anthocarp enclosed by persistent perianth, ribbed
or winged
, often glandular
. Seed 1; endosperm present; embryo straight or curved
.
About 30 genera and 300 species: tropics and subtropics, mainly in tropical
America; six genera (two introduced
) and 13 species (one endemic, three introduced) in China.[1]
Genus Abronia
Herbs, annual
or perennial
, sometimes cespitose or appearing acaulescent
, usually viscid-pubescent, from slender to stout taproot
(extensively rhizomatous
in Abronia bolackii). Stems prostrate
to erect
, unarmed
, without glutinous
bands
on internodes. Leaves usually basal and cauline (all basal in A. bigelovii and A. nana), unequal in each pair, petiolate
; blade
± thick and succulent, base
usually asymmetric
. Inflorescences axillary
(appearing scapose
in A. bigelovii and A. nana), pedunculate
, capitate clusters
, with peripheral flowers usually opening first; receptacle slightly rounded
to conic, without pedicel-like projections; bracts persistent
, not accrescent
, 5-10, distinct
, forming involucre, lanceolate to broadly ovate
, thinly papery
or scarious
, translucent
, occasionally thin and green. Flowers bisexual
, chasmogamous
; perianth radially symmetric
, funnelform
or salverform
, constricted
distal to ovary, abruptly expanded to 5-lobed limb; stamens 5-9, included
; styles included; stigmas linear
. Fruits winged
or not, usually fusiform
or turbinate
, in profile
rhombic
, cordate, or obdeltate, coriaceous
, glabrate
to viscid
puberulent
; wings 2-5, opaque
, subtly veined, not or only slightly extending beyond apex or base of body, distal margins sometimes dilated
and flattened, broader than lamina, interior hollow, forming cavity
, or filled with spongy
tissue
; sulci smooth
or slightly rugose
.
Species ca.
20: North America, Mexico.
Mature
to near-mature fruits are usually required for identification of Abronia species because of the variation
of vegetative
structures within each taxon
. Abronia appears to be in a state of active
evolution. Cross-pollination
readily occurs in the greenhouse, producing a variety of hybrids. Hybridization occasionally occurs in the field
.[2]
Physical Description
Species Abronia elliptica
Plants perennial , sometimes nearly acaulescent . Stems decumbent to erect , elongate , glandular-pubescent , infrequently glabrous . Leaves: petiole 1-4 cm; blade ovate elliptic-oblong to ovate, 1.5-6 × 0.5-3.5 cm, margins entire to sinuate , often undulate , adaxial surface glabrous or puberulent , abaxial surface thinly puberulent to pubescent . Inflorescences: peduncle longer than subtending petiole; bracts ovate to obovate , 5-20 × 3-10 mm, scarious , apex obtuse to acute, glandular-pubescent to villous ; flowers 25-75. Perianth: tube rose to greenish, 10-20 mm, limb white, 5-8 mm diam. Fruits broadly turbinate , apex truncate or rounded and slightly beaked , or fruit ± rhombic in profile , 5-12 × 4-8.5 mm, scarious, tapered at both ends; wings (2-) 5 (often 2 on periphery of inflorescence and folded together), dilated distally and flattened perpendicular to plane of lamina, dilations longer than wide, thin walled, cavities extending throughout. [source]
Habit: Forb/herb
Flowers: Bloom Period: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. • Flower Color: near white, white
Habitat
Sandy or gravelly soils, desert grasslands, scrub
; 700-2500 m
(Ref.
104586).
Biology
Reproduction
Duration: Perennial
Growth
Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 6.5
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .
Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
()
- Brongniart, 1843
- Dicotyledons
- Subclass:
Caryophyllidae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Superorder:
Caryophyllanae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Order:
Caryophyllales
()
- Perleb, 1826
- Suborder:
Phytolaccineae
()
- Family:
Nyctaginaceae
()
- A.l. De Jussieu, 1789, Nom. Cons.
- Four O'clock Family
- Family:
Nyctaginaceae
(
- Suborder:
Phytolaccineae
(
- Order:
Caryophyllales
(
- Superorder:
Caryophyllanae
(
- Subclass:
Caryophyllidae
(
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Unambiguous Synonyms
- Abronia fragrans Nuttall ex Hooker var. elliptica (A. Nelson) M. E. Jones
- Abronia fragrans var. elliptica (A. Nels.) M. E. Jones
- Abronia nana S. Watson Var. harrisii S. L. Welsh
- Abronia pumila Rydb.
- Abronia ramosa Standl.
- Abronia salsa Rydb.
Notes
Publishing author : Standl. Publication : Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 12: 321, pl. 39 1909 Publishing author: Rydb. Publication: Bull . Torrey Bot. Club 1902, 683. Publishing author: Rydb. Publication: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 684 1902 Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000
Similar Species
Members of the genus Abronia
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 120 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:
A. acutalata · A. alba (Whiteflower Sand Verbena) · A. alba platyphylla · A. alba var. platyphylla · A. alba variabilis · A. alpina (Ramshaw Meadows Sand Verbena) · A. ameliae (Amelia´s Sand-Verbena) · A. ammophila (Wyoming Sand Verbena) · A. angulata · A. angustifolia (Narrow-Leaf Sandverbena) · A. arenaria · A. argillosa (Clay Sand Verbena) · A. arizonica · A. bakeri · A. bigelovii (Galisteo Sand Verbena) · A. bigelovii Heimerl 'Galisteo Sand Verbena' · A. bolackii (Bolacks Sand Verbena) · A. breviflora · A. californica · A. carletoni (Carleton's Sand Verbena) · A. carletonii (Carleton's Sand Verbena) · A. carnea · A. carnea var. carnea · A. carnea var. wootonii · A. carterae · A. cheradophila · A. covillei · A. crux-maltae · A. cycloptera · A. deppei · A. elliptica (Fragrant White Sand Verbena) · A. exalata · A. fallax · A. fendleri · A. fragrans (Fragrant White Sand-Verbena) · A. fragrans elliptica · A. fragrans glaucescens · A. fragrans var. pterocarpa · A. glabra · A. glabrifolia · A. glauca · A. glaucescens · A. gracilis (Slender Sand Verbena) · A. gracilis subsp. platyphylla · A. insularis (Island Sand Verbena) · A. lanceolata · A. latifolia (Coastal Sand Verbena) · A. latiuscula · A. lobatifolia · A. lythrochiladel · A. macrocarpa (Large-Fruited Sand Verbena) · A. maritima (Red Sand Verbena) · A. maritima maritima · A. mellifera (Honey-Scent Sand Verbena) · A. menziesii · A. micrantha · A. micrantha pedunculata · A. minor (Little Sand Verbena) · A. nana (Dwarf Sand Verbena) · A. nana covillei (Coville's Dwarf Abronia) · A. nana S.Watson var. harrisii Welsh (Harris' Dwarf Sand Verbena) · A. nana lanciformis · A. nana S.Watson var. nana S.Watson (Dwarf Sand Verbena) · A. nana var. covillei (Coville's Dwarf Sand Verbena) · A. nana var. harrisii (Harris' Dwarf Sand Verbena) · A. nana var. nana (Dwarf Sand Verbena) · A. nealleyi · A. nelsonii · A. neurophylla (Beach Sand Verbena) · A. nudata · A. ochoterenae · A. orbiculata · A. parviflora · A. pedunculata · A. pinetorum · A. pinetorum var. aurita · A. platyphylla (Broadleaf Sand Verbena) · A. pogonantha (Mojave Sand Verbena) · A. pumila · A. ramosa · A. robusta · A. rosea · A. rotundifolia · A. sparsifolia · A. speciosa · A. suksdorfii · A. taeniata graminea · A. taeniata taeniata · A. taeniatus · A. texana · A. torreyi · A. turbinata (Transmontane Sand Verbena) · A. turbinata var. marginata · A. umbellata (Pink Sand Verbena) · A. umbellata acutalata · A. umbellata alba · A. umbellata breviflora (Pink Sand Verbena) · A. umbellata 'Grandiflora' · A. umbellata 'Pink Sand Verbena' · A. umbellata platyphylla
More Info
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Further Reading
- Brigham Young University science bulletin. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, [1955-1976] ENG url p. 268.
- Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 29 1902 New York: Torrey Botanical Club, 1870- ENG url p. 682, p. 684, p. 685.
- Catalogue of the flora of Montana and the Yellowstone National Park. New York, 1900. ENG url p. 137.
- Flora of Colorado, by P.A. Rydberg. Fort Collins, Col., Experiment Station, 1906. ENG url p. 123, p. 123.
- Flora of the Rocky Mountains and adjacent plains: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and neighboring parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and British Columbia / by P. A. Rydberg. New York: Rydberg, 1917. ENG url p. 256.
- Key to the Rocky Mountain flora; Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and British Columbia. New York, 1919. ENG url p. 79.
- Studies on Rocky Mountain flora. New York, New York Botanical Garden, 1899-1913. ENG url p. 684, p. 685.
- Lu Dequan. 1996. Nyctaginaceae. In: Tang Changlin, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 26: 114.
- Galloway, L. A. 1975. Systematics of North American desert species of Abronia and Tripterocalyx. Brittonia 27: 328-347.
- Tillett, S. S. 1967. The maritime species of Abronia (Nyctaginaceae). Brittonia 19: 299-327.
Notes
Contributors
- "Abronia elliptica". in Flora of North America Vol. 4 Page 63. Published by Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 01, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 4 providers.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 01, 2008:
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Arizona State University Vascular Plant Herbarium
- USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
- University of Colorado Museum, Zoological specimens
- Utah State University, USU-UTC Specimen Database
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2646063
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-19556
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 19556
- International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 603978-1
- Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDNYC01080
- U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ABSA3
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 69701
Footnotes
- Dequan Lu & Michael G. Gilbert "Nyctaginaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 5 Page 430. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
- Leo A. Galloway "Abronia". in Flora of North America Vol. 4 Page 16, 61. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
