SOUTH AMERICA
The 70 known species of South American Cryptantha (67 species exclusive to South America).
[† = also in N. Am.]
[NOTE: Scale bars of all photographs = 1 mm]
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ALPHABETICAL LISTING:
LISTING BY INFRAGENERIC GROUP (after Johnston 1927):
† = both North and South America
KEY (after Johnston 1927):
Plants producing cleistogamic flowers; South America.
Cleistogamic flowers simple, borne in the middle and upper or frequently in all the leaf-axils, occasionally
replacing the chasmogamic flowers in the inflorescence proper ........................................... Section Cryptantha [Eucryptantha]
Cleistomagamic flowers highly specialized, appearing as persistent ovoid or lenticular structures (cleistogenes)
borne at the base of the plant below or just above the surface of the ground ................................................... Section Geocarya
Plants not producing cleistogamic flowers; North and South America ................................................................. Section "Krynitzkia"
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Plant definitely perennial
Fruiting calyx small, 2-2.5 mm long; nutlets ca. 2 mm long (Glomuliferae) .................................................................................................... C. glomerulifera
Fruiting calyx large and coarse, 4-6 mm long; nutlets 2-3 mm long (Capituliflorae)
Plant low, with short prostrate or widely spreading densely appressed white villous-hispid stems; mature inflorescence more or less capitate .. C. capituliflora
Plant erect or ascending, loosely branched; stems appressed-hispid; inflorescence becoming loose and open
Plant canescent, abundantly appressed short-hispid on stems and leaves; style very much surpassing the nutlets ....................................... C. longifolia
Plant green, very sparsely hirsute, evidently pustulate; style equaling or shortly surpassing the nutlets ....................................................... C. spathulata
Plant definitely annual
Fruiting calyces armed with stiff hairs, hispid or hirsute (Glomeratae)
Nutlets 1.3-2 mm long; plant green; common, widely dispersed species ........................................................................................................ C. glomerata
Nutlets 2.5-3 mm long; plant canescent; rare local species ............................................................................................................................. C. alfalfalis
Fruiting calyces long-villous, lacking stiff hairs (Haplostachyae)
Plant slender; cauline leaves 1-1.7 cm long, 2-3 mm wide; nutlets verrucose ............................................................................................ C. haplostachya
Plant coarse; cauline leaves 1-2 cm long, 5-10 mm wide; nutlets tuberculate .............................................................................................. C. calycotricha*
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Plant a strong-rooted coarse perennial (Alyssoides) ............................................................................................................................................ C. alyssoides
Plant definitely annual
Root fleshy and spindleform (Dimorphae)
Spikes bracted; calyx lobes linear
Corolla 5-8 mm broad; chasmogamic flowers 4-ovulate .......................................................................................................................... C. involucrata
Corolla 2-5 mm broad; chasmogamic flowers 2-ovulate ........................................................................................................................ C. volckmannii
Spikes bractless; calyx lobes oblong
Corolla 2-3 mm broad; hairs on calyx straw-colored; pubescence on stems loose ....................................................................................... C. dimorpha
Corolla 4-5 mm broad; hairs on calyx bright yellow; pubescence on stems closely appressed ............................................................. C. cynoglossoides
Root firm and woody, attenuate
Chasmogamic flowers 2-ovulate (Lineares)
Mature calyx 2-2.5(-3) mm long; cleistogenes rather evidently reticulate-ribbed .............................................................................................. C. linearis*
Mature calyx 3-4.5 mm long; nutlets 2-3 mm long; cleistogenes weakly ribbed ................................................................................................. C. aprica*
Chasmogamic flowers 4-ovulate
Corolla conspicuous, 4-8 mm broad; nutlets 2.5-3 mm long, homomorphous or practically so, back obtuse (Dolichophyllae)
Corolla 6-8 mm broad; leaves narrowly linear, 4-9(-11) cm long, 1.5-3 mm broad ............................................................................... C. dolichophylla*
Corolla 4-5 mm broad; [leaves] linear or narrowly lanceolate, 2-3.5(-4.5) cm long, 2-3(-5) mm broad ................................................................... C. gayi
Corolla inconspicuous, 1-3 mm broad; nutlets 1.5-2 mm long, definitely heteromorphous, back convex (Virentes) ................................................ C. kingii*
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Nutlets perfectly smooth and shiny, large, 2.8-3.3 mm long, Chile
Plant perennial, shrubby at base (Gnaphalioides) .................................................................................................................................. C. gnaphalioides*
Plant an annual herb (Phacelioides)
Corolla 7-10 mm broad; leaves 7-13 mm broad ............................................................................................................................................ C. dichita
Corolla 4-7 mm broad; leaves 2-3 mm broad
Nutlets 2 ............................................................................................................................................................................................. C. hispida
Nutlets 4 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... C. phacelioides
Nutlets more or less roughened and dull
Nutlets thick with deep plane sides, not crowded, only impinging on one another close to the gynobase and hence separated by
open re-entrant sinuses, anterior face occupied by a large triangular (apparently) excavated areola; gynobase narrowly pyramidal;
northern Argentina (Albidae) ....................................................................................................................................................................... C. albida
Nutlets strongly compressed with angulate or rounded edges, crowded and closely juxtaposed, not separated by open broad sinuses,
anterior face with a very small shallow areola; gynobase subulate
Edges of nutlets sharp, with a definite thin margin; abaxial nutlet more or less emphasized, usually largest and most persistent (Angustifoliae)
Nutlet homomorphous, 1-1.5 mm long; spikes bracted throughout; Argentina ...................................................................................... C. diplotricha
Nutlets heteromorpous, 0.6-1 mm long; spikes bractless or bracted at base only; Chile and Peru ........................................................... C. parviflora*
Edges of nutlets merely angled or rounded, not sharp, mostly marginless but more or less thickly margined in a few species; axial nutlet
more or less emphasized, usually the largest or most persistent (Barbigerae)
Corolla evident or conspicuous, 2-7 mm broad
Spikes bractless; Chilean
Plant persistent, a perennial or long-lived annual; stems becoming prostrate or trailing
Plant loosely branched, forming a loose broad open mat; pubescence canescent; corolla 5-6 mm broad ........................ C. subamplexicaulis
Plant densely branched, forming a dense cushion, pubescence silvery; corolla 2-4 mm broad ..................................................... C. argentea
Plant a short-lived annual; branches short, erect, or ascending
Nutlets homomorphous, obsurely roughened ...................................................................................................................... C. chaetocalyx*
Nutlets heteromorphous, definitely tuberculate or papillate ....................................................................................................... C. filiformis*
Spikes bracted
Corolla 2-4 mm broad; nutlets homomorphous or heteromorphous, 1.3-1.8 mm long
Style much surpassing the 4 nutlets; Peru ........................................................................................................................... C. granulosa*
Style shortly surpassing the 2-4 nutlets; Chile ...................................................................................................................... C. taltalensis
Corolla 5-6 mm broad; nutlets homomorphous, ea. 2 mm long; Chile .............................................................................................. C. romani
Corolla inconspicuous or minute, 0.5-1.5(-2) mm broad
Spikes bracted; style noticeably surpassing the nutlets
Fruiting calyx 3-4 mm long, with narrow erect or slightly spreading lobe tips; Chile and southern Peru .............................................. C. filaginea*
Fruiting calyx 5-6 mm long, with broad decidedly spreading lobe tips; Peru .................................................................................... C. limensis
Spikes bractless; style equally the nutlet or just surpassing them
Nutlets obscurely tuberculate or almost smooth
Fruiting calyx 8-11 mm long; nutlets lanceolate, 2.8-3.2 mm long; plant coarse shaggy-hirsute; Andes of northern Chile ................ C. calycina
Fruiting calyx 2-3 mm long; nutlets lance-ovate, ca. 2 mm long; plant finely strigose or appressed short-hispid; Patagonia ........ C. patagonica
Nutlets definitely tuberculate or wrinkled
Back of nutlets tuberculate, coarsely if at all transversely grooved
Fruiting calyx 2.5-3 mm long, lobes lance-linear or narrowly lanceolate; Peru ....................................................................... C. peruviana
Fruiting calyx 3-4 mm long, lobes linear or lance-linear; Chile and Argentina ....................................................................... C. globulifera*
Back of nutlets with transverse, lineate grooves
Spikes very tawny; fruiting calyx 3-4 mm long; plant stiff; Chile and Argentina ......................................................................... C. diffusa*
Spikes green; fruiting calyx 2-2.5 mm long; plant weak; Bolivia .............................................................................................. C. debilis
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LITERATURE CITED
Johnston, I. M. 1927. Studies in the Boraginaceae VI. 1. A revision of the South American Boraginoideae. Contributions of the Gray Herbarium 78: 1-118.
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