Gilia cana
Encyclopedia
Gilia cana is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family
known by the common name showy gilia. It is native to California
and Nevada
where it grows in open areas with gravelly and sandy soils, such as desert and rocky slopes. The Mojave Desert
range of some subspecies may extend into Arizona
.
like scent.
The tops of the stem branches bear spreading inflorescence
s of glandular purple to pinkish-lavender flowers. Each flower has a short tubular throat which is yellow and blue inside and five slightly protruding stamen
s with bluish anthers. The fruit is a small, rounded capsule.
—Butterfly species Schinia biundulata
.
Polemoniaceae
Polemoniaceae are a family of about 25 genera with 270-400 species of annual and perennial plants, native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity in western North America, especially in California.Only one genus is found in Europe, and two in Asia, where they...
known by the common name showy gilia. It is native 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...
and Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
where it grows in open areas with gravelly and sandy soils, such as desert and rocky slopes. The Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
range of some subspecies may extend into Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Description
This wildflower, Gilia cana, grows a stout, branching stem reaching maximum heights around 30 centimeters. Most of the leaves are arranged in a clumpy rosette at the base of the plant. Each leaf is divided into leaflets with toothlike lobes. The lower part of the stem and leaves may have a coat of cobweb-like fibers. The herbage is glandular and has an unpleasant skunkSkunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
like scent.
The tops of the stem branches bear spreading 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...
s of glandular purple to pinkish-lavender flowers. Each flower has a short tubular throat which is yellow and blue inside and five slightly protruding stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s with bluish anthers. The fruit is a small, rounded capsule.
Butterflies
Gilia cana is used as an exclusive food plant by the larvae of the LepidopteraLepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
—Butterfly species Schinia biundulata
Schinia biundulata
Schinia biundulata is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in western North America, including Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Utah.The wingspan is 20–22 mm.-Food:...
.