Allophyllum gilioides

PLANT: Annuals, 8-35 cm tall, simple or few-branched from base; stems short pubescent, glandular. LEAVES: pubescent; basal and lower pinnately lobed, the lobes (3-)5-11, linear to narrowly lanceolate; upper mostly subpalmately lobed, the lobes 3-5, the distal wider and longer than the lateral lobes. INFLORESCENCE: with 2-6 flowers per branch. FLOWERS: calyx 3-4 mm long; corolla 6-8 mm long, dark bluish violet; stamens with anthers included to exserted, the upper anthers located just above the throat; stigma included, located among the lower anthers. CAPSULE: 2.5-3 mm long. 2n=18. NOTES: Streambeds, canyons, oak woodland, pine forest; Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai cos; 600-1600 m (2000-5300 ft); Apr-Jun; s OR to CA and AZ. REFERENCES: Dieter H. Wilken and J. Mark Porter, 2005, Vascular Plants of Arizona: Polemoniaceae. CANOTIA 1: 1-37.

Wilken and Porter 2005, Kearney and Peebles 1969

Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Annual herb, 8-35 cm tall, simple or few-branched from base; stems short-pubescent, glandular. Leaves: Alternate and pubescent; basal and lower leaves are pinnatifid with 5-11 lobes; upper leaves entire or subpalmately lobed, the lobes 3-5, the distal wider and longer than the lateral lobes. Flowers: Blue-purple, in a congested cyme with 2-6 flowers per branch; calyx 3-4 mm long, corolla tubular-funnelform, 6-8 mm long, dark bluish violet; stamens unequally inserted into the corolla throat, anthers included to exserted; stigma included, located among the lower anthers. Fruits: Subglobose capsule 3 mm long. Ecology: Found in streambeds, canyons, oak woodland, and pine forest from 2,000-5,500 ft (610-1676 m); flowers April-June. Distribution: West Coast of the US from WA, OR, and CA, east to NV, UT, and AZ Notes: The irregularly pinnatifid leaves help to identify this species, as well as separate it from other Gilia. There is a single subspecies in the region, subsp. gilioides. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Allophyllum comes from Greek allos, diverse, and phyllum, leaves, while gilioides means like the genus Gilia. Synonyms: Gilia gilioides Editor: SBuckley 2010, AHazelton 2015