Abronia ammophila (Wyoming Sand Verbena)

Overview

Critically Endangered

Interesting Facts

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Abronia ammophila is found on the beaches of Yellowstone Lake , Yellowstone National Park. [source]

Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Wyoming Sand Verbena

Description

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Family Nyctaginaceae

Herbs, shrubs , trees , or sometimes spiny vines . Leaves opposite, alternate, or whorled ; stipules absent; petiole usually present, well defined; leaf blade simple , herbaceous or slightly fleshy , margin entire. Inflorescences mostly terminal , less often axillary , of cymes, umbels, or verticils , sometimes 1-flowered or fasciculate, often grouped into panicles; bracts often inconspicuous, sometimes forming calyxlike involucre, or large and brightly colored . Flowers bisexual , rarely unisexual or polygamous, actinomorphic . Perianth constricted beyond the ovary, base persistent , closely enclosing ovary which appears inferior, limb petaloid beyond constriction, tubular , funnelform , or campanulate , apex 5-10-lobed, lobes plicate or valvate in bud, persistent or caducous . Disk absent. Stamens (1-) 3-5(-many), hypogynous, free or connate at base, involute in bud; anthers 2-loculed, dehiscence longitudinal . Ovary superior, 1-loculed; ovule 1. Style 1; stigma globose . Fruit an achenelike anthocarp enclosed by persistent perianth, ribbed or winged , often glandular . Seed 1; endosperm present; embryo straight or curved .

About 30 genera and 300 species: tropics and subtropics, mainly in tropical America; six genera (two introduced ) and 13 species (one endemic, three introduced) in China.[1]

Genus Abronia

Herbs, annual or perennial , sometimes cespitose or appearing acaulescent , usually viscid-pubescent, from slender to stout taproot (extensively rhizomatous in Abronia bolackii). Stems prostrate to erect , unarmed , without glutinous bands on internodes. Leaves usually basal and cauline (all basal in A. bigelovii and A. nana), unequal in each pair, petiolate ; blade ± thick and succulent, base usually asymmetric . Inflorescences axillary (appearing scapose in A. bigelovii and A. nana), pedunculate , capitate clusters , with peripheral flowers usually opening first; receptacle slightly rounded to conic, without pedicel-like projections; bracts persistent , not accrescent , 5-10, distinct , forming involucre, lanceolate to broadly ovate , thinly papery or scarious , translucent , occasionally thin and green. Flowers bisexual , chasmogamous ; perianth radially symmetric , funnelform or salverform , constricted distal to ovary, abruptly expanded to 5-lobed limb; stamens 5-9, included ; styles included; stigmas linear . Fruits winged or not, usually fusiform or turbinate , in profile rhombic , cordate, or obdeltate, coriaceous , glabrate to viscid puberulent ; wings 2-5, opaque , subtly veined, not or only slightly extending beyond apex or base of body, distal margins sometimes dilated and flattened, broader than lamina, interior hollow, forming cavity , or filled with spongy tissue ; sulci smooth or slightly rugose .

Species ca. 20: North America, Mexico.

Mature to near-mature fruits are usually required for identification of Abronia species because of the variation of vegetative structures within each taxon . Abronia appears to be in a state of active evolution. Cross-pollination readily occurs in the greenhouse, producing a variety of hybrids. Hybridization occasionally occurs in the field .[2]

Physical Description

Species Abronia ammophila

Plants perennial . Stems prostrate , much branched, forming loose mats, elongate , densely glandular-pubescent , viscid . Leaves: petiole 2-4.5 cm; blade elliptic-oblong to rhombic-ovate, 1-2.5 × 0.6-1.5 cm, margins entire to repand and ± undulate , surfaces glandular-puberulent. Inflorescences: peduncle longer than subtending petiole; bracts lanceolate to elliptic , 3-5 × 1-3 mm, papery , puberulent to glandular-pubescent; flowers 15-35. Perianth: tube greenish, 7-12 mm, limb greenish white, 4-6 mm diam. Fruits biturbinate , tapered at both ends, ± rhombic or fusiform in profile , 4-6 × 2.5-4.5 mm, indurate ; wings reduced, appearing as 5 prominent lobes near middle of fruit; peripheral fruits not or only slightly distorted. [source]

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: Bloom Period: June, July, August, September. • Flower Color: near white, white

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 18-24" tall.

Habitat

Sandy soils, lake shores ; of conservation concern; 2300-2500 m. [source]

Biome: Terrestrial

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 15-18" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Plantae () - Haeckel, 1866 - Plants
  - Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae () - Cavalier-Smith, 1981
    - Phylum: Tracheophyta () - Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Vascular Plants
      - Subphylum: Euphyllophytina ()
        Infraphylum: Radiatopses () - Kenrick & Crane, 1997
        Class: Magnoliopsida () - Brongniart, 1843 - Dicotyledons
        Subclass: Caryophyllidae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Superorder: Caryophyllanae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Order: Caryophyllales () - Perleb, 1826
        Suborder: Phytolaccineae ()
        Family: Nyctaginaceae () - A.l. De Jussieu, 1789, Nom. Cons. - Four O'clock Family
        Tribe: Abronieae ()
        Genus: Abronia () - A.L. de Jussieu, 1789 - Sand-verbena [Greek abros, delicate or graceful]
        Specific epithet: ammophila - Greene
        Botanical name: - Abronia ammophila

Unambiguous Synonyms

Abronia fendleri Standl.

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Pittonia 4:226. 1900

Name verified on 21-Dec-2005 by ARS Systematic Botanists.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Abronia

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 120 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

"Abronia ammophila". in Flora of North America Vol. 4 Page 62, 67. Published by Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 01, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 24, 2008)

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 01, 2008:

USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database

Identifiers

Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2663985
Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-184206
GRIN Nomen Number: 449369
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 184206
International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 603959-1
Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PDNYC01040
U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: ABAM3
Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 991

Footnotes

Dequan Lu & Michael G. Gilbert "Nyctaginaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 5 Page 430. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
Leo A. Galloway "Abronia". in Flora of North America Vol. 4 Page 16, 61. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]

Abronia ammophila

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Description

Family Nyctaginaceae

Genus Abronia

Physical Description

Species Abronia ammophila

Size/Age/Growth

Habitat

Biology

Reproduction

Growth

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

Notes

Similar Species

Members of the genus Abronia

More Info

Further Reading

Notes

Contributors

Data Sources

Identifiers

Footnotes