Chorizanthe biloba
Encyclopedia
Chorizanthe biloba is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family
known by the common name twolobe spineflower. It is endemic to California
, where it is known only from the Central Coast Ranges. There are two varieties, both of which are uncommon to rare.
C. b. var. biloba is known from several areas of the Central Coast Ranges, including the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains and Diablo Range
. It grows erect up to 40 centimeters tall. It produces an inflorescence
of several flowers, each surrounded by six bract
s tipped in hooked spines. The tiny flower has deeply notched or jagged tepal
s.
The rare C. b. var. immemora, the Hernandez spineflower, is known from only about five occurrences near the border between San Benito
and Monterey Counties
. It is similar to var. biloba but has more shallow notches in its tepals.
Polygonaceae
Polygonaceae is a family of flowering plants known informally as the "knotweed family" or "smartweed family"— "buckwheat family" in the United States. The name is based on the genus Polygonum and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789 in his book, Genera Plantarum. The name refers...
known by the common name twolobe spineflower. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known only from the Central Coast Ranges. There are two varieties, both of which are uncommon to rare.
C. b. var. biloba is known from several areas of the Central Coast Ranges, including the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains and Diablo Range
Diablo Range
The Diablo Range is a mountain range in the California Coast Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Coast Ranges. It is located in the eastern San Francisco Bay area south to the Salinas Valley area of northern California, the United States.-Geography:...
. It grows erect up to 40 centimeters tall. It produces an inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
of several flowers, each surrounded by six bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s tipped in hooked spines. The tiny flower has deeply notched or jagged tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s.
The rare C. b. var. immemora, the Hernandez spineflower, is known from only about five occurrences near the border between San Benito
San Benito County, California
San Benito County is a county located in the Coast Range Mountains of the U.S. state of California, south of San Jose. As of 2010 the population was 55,269. The county seat is Hollister, which includes nearly two-thirds of the county's population. El Camino Real passes through the county and...
and Monterey Counties
Monterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
. It is similar to var. biloba but has more shallow notches in its tepals.