| Priest Valley spineflower | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Chorizanthe |
| Species: | C. ventricosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Chorizanthe ventricosa Goodman | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Chorizanthe palmeri var. ventricosa (Goodman) Munz | |
Chorizanthe ventricosa, common name Priest Valley spineflower, is a plant species endemic to a small region in the Coastal Ranges of west-central California. It is found only on serpentine outcrops in grasslands and pine-oak woodlands at elevations of 500–1000 m. It has been reported from 4 counties: Monterey, San Benito, Fresno and San Luis Obispo.
Chorizanthe ventricosa is an herb up to 70 cm tall, forming large spreading colonies. Leaves are up to 5 cm long. Flowers are formed in clusters up to 6 cm across, with green bracts with pointed tips giving the impression of spines. Flowers are 2-colored, white or yellow plus red or maroon.
References
- ^ Flora of North America v 5
- Goodman, George Jones. 1939. A new species of Chorizanthe. Leaflets of Western Botany 2(11): 193–195, f. 1–2.
- Hickman, J. C. 1993. The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California 1–1400. University of California Press, Berkeley.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Chorizanthe ventricosa |
|
- Chorizanthe
- Endemic flora of California
- Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
- Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
- Natural history of Fresno County, California
- Natural history of Monterey County, California
- Natural history of San Benito County, California
- Natural history of San Luis Obispo County, California