Lithospermum canescens
 
Hoary Puccoon

Ovary Top, From Long-Styled Flower

Whitesand Regional Park
05-June-2010

This species has two types of flowers.  One type has a long style with the stamens attached nearer the base of the corolla tube.  The other type has a short style with the stamens attached nearer the apex of the corolla tube.  Plants with more than one style length are known as heterostylous.

Note the style arises from the center of (and between) the ovary lobes.  The upper portion of the style has been cut off and removed for the purpose of this photo.

Canescens: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this species. 

perennial plants; NOT [annual plants]

plant not very leafy; NOT [plant very leafy]

leaves linear to oblong; NOT [leaves lanceolate]

flowers bright yellow or orange; NOT [flowers dull greenish yellow]

corolla tube longer than calyx; NOT [corolla tube not longer than calyx]

lobes of corolla entire, neither fringed nor toothed; NOT [lobes of corolla either fringed or toothed]

nutlets smooth; NOT [nutlets wrinkled]

nutlets white; NOT [nutlets brown]

 

Lithospermum: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 

plants usually rough-hairy; NOT [plants glabrous]

upper leaves alternate; NOT [upper leaves opposite or in whorls of three]

leaves oblong-lanceolate; NOT [leaves ovate-lanceolate]

flowers several-many, in axillary or terminal, frequently raceme-like, cymes; NOT [flowers mostly solitary (2-4), axillary] (FOA)

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

flowers larger, 8-15 mm across; NOT [flowers small, 3-5 mm across]

corolla yellow or orange; NOT [corolla white or greenish white]

corolla lobes rounded; NOT [corolla lobes acute]

style included; NOT [style conspicuously exserted]

ovary deeply divided into 4 lobes; NOT [ovary merely grooved]

style arising from the center of (and between) the ovary lobes; NOT [style arising from the top of the ovary]

nutlets lacking hooked prickles

 

Boraginaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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

plants WITHOUT milky juice

plants NOT twining

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

inflorescence usually scorpioid

flowers with two floral rings, but with the petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell]

corolla regular; NOT [corolla irregular]

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

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

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

ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

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