Collomia grandiflora

Collomia grandiflora
	Photo by Ben Legler, 2004. Also featured on Main Page
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae;
Subkingdom:	Viridiplantae;
Phylum:	Tracheophyta;
Subphylum:	Spermatophytina;
Class:	Magnoliopsida;
Subclass:	Asteranae;
Order:	Ericales;
Family:	Polemoniaceae;
Genus:	Collomia Nutt.;
Species:	Collomia grandiflora Douglas ex. Lindl;

Latin Name: Collomia grandiflora
Family: Polemoniaceae
Common Names: large-flowered collomia, large-flower mountain-trumpet
Codon: COLGRA

Taxonomy

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Description

General: Annual, the stem simple or branched, erect, 0.5-5 dm. tall, minutely pubescent.

Leaves: Lower leaves opposite, petiolate, often toothed when well developed; upper leaves opposite or whorled, entire, usually glabrous, becoming sessile upward, narrowly elliptic or oblong to nearly linear.

Flowers: Flowers 1-few on short pedicels in the axils of reduced upper leaves; calyx 5-8 mm. long, 5-lobed; corolla bi-labiate, blue with white or pinkish upper lip, 9-17 mm. long, the tube abruptly bent at a right angle to the calyx, shortly pouched at the bend; stamens 4.

Fruit: Capsule opening along 4 lines.

Bloom Period

April - June

Distribution

West of the Cascade summits, British Columbia to California, and in the Columbia River Gorge.

Habitat

Open, moist to rather dry areas, low to moderate elevations in the mountains. Moist to drier soil – not heat-resistant and requires cool nights.

Uses

Infusion of roots or of leaves and stalks taken by Okanogan-Colville as a laxative; Infusion of roots taken by Okanogan-Colville for high fevers; Leaves used by Paiute and others as a protective covering for filled berry containers.

Propagation

Sow seeds in both the fall and early spring for the maximum season of flowering.

Collomia grandiflora seeds
Photo Credit Lisa HIntz

Seed

Abbreviation: COGRX

Seed sample from: 2011

Average measurement: 3 x 1.5 x 1.1

Measurement range: L: 2.75 - 3.1 W: 1.2 x 1.7 D: 0.9 x 1.3

Features

Shape: One end of seed is slightly more rounded than other. This is the hilium end. One side of seed has longitudinal sulcus that does not reach the hilium or opposite apex.

Color: Hilium indistinct. Entire seed surface mostly uniform in color. Seed is brown with some white spots that are flakey looking.

Surface:Entire seed is very bumpy, sometimes slightly ridged. When wet, seed coat forms many clear, mucilaginous threads.

Could be confused with: Gilia capitata

Latitudinal cross section: elliptical

Longitudinal cross section: elliptical

Basic Explanations and Assumptions:

The dimensions for the seeds are length x width x depth. The location of the hilum is used as the base of the seed, and the length is measured from hilum to the opposite apex. Where a style is present, the length is measured from the hilum to the bottom of the style. Width is measured at a right angle to the length at the widest part. Depth is measured at a right angle to the intersection of height and width lines.

Measurements included are the mean average for each measurement of ten separate seeds.

All measurements in millimeters unless otherwise noted.

References

Photo Gallery

Photo: Ben Legler
Photo by Marion C. Jerisch, courtesy of CNLM.
Young growth, courtesy of CNLM

↑ Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=31037

[1] Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=31037

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