Branched phacelia (Phacelia ramosissima) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 3
Species Information
Name and classification
Scientific name: Phacelia ramosissima Douglas ex Lehm. var. ramosissimaFootnote1
Common name: Branched Phacelia
Family: Hydrophylaceae (Waterleaf Family)
Major plant group: Dicot flowering plant
Phacelia ramosissima var. ramosissimais a member of a genus of about 150 species, occurring mostly in western North America and Mexico (Hitchcock et al. 1959). Eight species occur in British Columbia and 11 in Canada (Scoggan 1979, Douglas et al. 1999a). Five additional varieties of P. ramosissima are generally recognized, all occurring to the south of our region (Wilken et al. 1993, Kartesz 1999). Since only one variety of this species occurs in Canada, the species will be referred to as Phacelia ramosissima in the report except where required for clarity.
Description
Phacelia ramosissima is a prostrate to weakly ascending perennial herb from a branched stem-base and a taproot (Figures 1 and figure2, Douglas et al. 1999a). The glandular-hairy stems are 0.5-1.5 m long. The basal leaves, if any, are soon deciduous while the stalked, glandular-hairy, odoriferous stem leaves are alternate, oblanceolate in outline, 10-20 cm long, 3-10 cm wide, pinnatifid with the lobes cleft and again toothed. The inflorescence consists of a coiled, 1-sided, dense, terminal cluster of lavender, pale cream or sometimes white, 5-8 mm long, corollas. The hairy calyces have linear lobes with strongly exserted, glabrous stamens. The fruits are capsules that contain 8 to 12, 1-2 mm long, pitted seeds.
Figure 1. Illustration of Phacelia ramosissima: growth habit of plant with highly enlarged flower (top) and seed (bottom right) – line drawing by Gail F. Harcombe in Douglas et al. 1999a; by permission.
Phacelia hastata var. hastata may also be found in similar habitats in the southern Okanagan Valley. It is easily distinguished from P. ramosissima by its simple, lanceolate, sometimes basally lobed leaves.
Figure 2. Phacelia ramosissima on talus on the east slope of Mount Kruger, south Okanagan Valley.
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