Cryptantha macounii
 
Clustered Oreocarya

Ovary Top, Style Removed

Claybank
04-June-2014

Note the four ovary lobes.  The style, which arises in the middle of the lobes, has been removed in this picture.

Note that Flora of Alberta distinguishes this species from a very similar C. nubigena.  The morphology of the specimens illustrated here fall somewhat on the boundary, but I believe they are closer to the more common C. macounii.  Budd's Flora appears to include both species in a broader C. nubigena.

Macounii: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 

plants perennial; NOT [plants annual]

lower leaves 5 mm wide or less; NOT [lower leaves 5-8 mm wide]

lower leaves narrowly oblanceolate; NOT [lower leaves obovate-spatulate or broadly oblanceolate]

cymes in a raceme

corolla 6-8 mm wide; NOT [corolla 7-11 mm wide]

nutlets 2-3 mm long; NOT [nutlets 3-4 mm long]

 

Cryptantha: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 

plants of dry habitats; NOT [plants of moist habitats]

plants usually rough-hairy; NOT [plants glabrous]

stem mostly 1-4 dm tall; NOT [stem mostly 5-10 dm tall]

leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite or in whorls of 3]

leaves oblanceolate to spatulate; NOT [leaves linear to lanceolate] (BF)

leaves linear to oblanceolate; NOT [leaves lanceolate to oblong-elliptic] (BF)

flowers several-many; NOT [flowers mostly solitary (2-4)]

flowers in non-leafy cymes, with or without small bracts; NOT [flowers in leafy cymes], NOT [flowers axillary]

flower not drooping, the pedicels erect or ascending; NOT [flowers drooping, the pedicels recurved]

flowers usually less than 1 cm across

corolla 2-8 mm long; NOT [corolla 12-18 mm long]

corolla white

ovary deeply 4-lobed, the style arising between the lobes; NOT [ovary grooved, the style arising from the top]

nutlets with no prickles

nutlets with a ventral groove or slit; NOT [nutlets keeled on the ventral surface, without a groove]

 

Boraginaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

plants green or with some chlorophyll; NOT [plants parasitic or saprophytic, without chlorophyll]

plants without milky juice

plants not twining

plants not in heads or spikes; NOT [flowers in long or short spikes], NOT [flowers in heads or in form resembling a head]

inflorescence usually scorpioid

flowers with two floral rings

petals wholly or partly united forming a tube or bell

corolla regular; NOT [corolla irregular]

stamens 4 or 5; NOT [stamens 8 or 10]

stamens alternating with corolla lobes, or twice their number; NOT [stamens directly in front of corolla lobes]

ovary superior; NOT [ovary inferior]

style from center of lobes of ovary; NOT [style terminal]

fruit with 4 nutlets; NOT [fruit a berry or capsule]