Cryptantha macounii
 
Clustered Oreocarya

Flower Top

Claybank
04-June-2014

Note that Flora of Alberta distinguishes this species from a very similar C. nubigena.  The morphology of the specimens illustrated here fall somewhat on the boundary, but I believe they are closer to the more common C. macouniiBudd's Flora appears to include both species in a broader C. nubigena.

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Macounii: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants perennial; NOT [plants annual]

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lower leaves 5 mm wide or less; NOT [lower leaves 5-8 mm wide]

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lower leaves narrowly oblanceolate; NOT [lower leaves obovate-spatulate or broadly oblanceolate]

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cymes in a raceme

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corolla 6-8 mm wide; NOT [corolla 7-11 mm wide]

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nutlets 2-3 mm long; NOT [nutlets 3-4 mm long]

 

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Cryptantha: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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plants of dry habitats; NOT [plants of moist habitats]

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plants usually rough-hairy; NOT [plants glabrous]

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stem mostly 1-4 dm tall; NOT [stem mostly 5-10 dm tall]

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leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite or in whorls of 3]

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leaves oblanceolate to spatulate; NOT [leaves linear to lanceolate] (BF)

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leaves linear to oblanceolate; NOT [leaves lanceolate to oblong-elliptic] (BF)

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flowers several-many; NOT [flowers mostly solitary (2-4)]

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flowers in non-leafy cymes, with or without small bracts; NOT [flowers in leafy cymes], NOT [flowers axillary]

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flower not drooping, the pedicels erect or ascending; NOT [flowers drooping, the pedicels recurved]

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flowers usually less than 1 cm across

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corolla 2-8 mm long; NOT [corolla 12-18 mm long]

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corolla white

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ovary deeply 4-lobed, the style arising between the lobes; NOT [ovary grooved, the style arising from the top]

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nutlets with no prickles

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nutlets with a ventral groove or slit; NOT [nutlets keeled on the ventral surface, without a groove]

 

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Boraginaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll]

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plants without milky juice

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plants not twining

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plants not in heads or spikes; NOT [flowers in long or short spikes], NOT [flowers in heads or in form resembling a head]

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inflorescence usually scorpioid

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flowers with two floral rings

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petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell

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corolla regular; NOT [corolla irregular]

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stamens 4 or 5; NOT [stamens 8 or 10]

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stamens alternating with corolla lobes, or twice their number; NOT [stamens directly in front of corolla lobes]

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ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

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style from center of lobes of ovary; NOT [style terminal]

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fruit with 4 nutlets; NOT [fruit a berry or capsule]