Ayenia microphylla

Wiggins 1964

Common Name: dense ayenia Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Subshrub General: Small densely intricate branched shrub 20-50 cm tall with woody branches. Leaves: Alternate, ovate and rounded to subcordate at base, acute at apex, 4-7 mm wide, 6-12 mm long, minutely but densely stellate-puberulent on both surfaces, veins prominent below, margins finely dentate. Flowers: Few on short axillary peduncles, the pedicels and calyx densely but minutely stellate puberulent, the flower very unique with 5 sepals and petals, the sepals spreading or slightly reflexed, about 1.5 mm wide and 1 mm long, the petals hood shaped and canopy-like with slender bases with the top attached to the stamen tube, the staminal column funnelform about 2 mm long and fleshy. Fruits: Capsule subglobose 4-5 mm long, sparsely short tuberculate. Ecology: Found on dry flats and rocky slopes from 2,000-5,000 ft (610-1524 m), flowers August-September. Distribution: s AZ, s NM, s TX; south to n MEX. Notes: Distinguished by the short, stellate hairs that cover the plant, along with the very woody branching and the smaller ovate leaves. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Ayenia is named for Louis de Noailles (1713-1793) the Duke of d-Ayen, while microphylla means small-leaved. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley 2011, FSCoburn 2015