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cryptantha
Scientific Name: Cryptantha
Family: Boraginaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Cryptantha: Cat's Eyes and Popcorn Flowers
Cryptantha is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the borage family, Boraginaceae.
Common Names
- Cat's Eyes
- Popcorn Flowers
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cryptantha Lehmann ex G. Don
- Family: Boraginaceae (Borage Family)
- Synonyms:
- Cryptantha sheldonii (Brand) Payson (synonym of Cryptantha celosioides)
- Cryptantha interrupta (Greene) Payson (synonym of Cryptantha spiculifera, misapplied)
- Oreocarya virgata (formerly Cryptantha virgata)
- Cryptantha fragilis
- Cryptantha grandiflora
- Cryptantha hendersonii
- Taxonomic Division: Some authorities, like William Weber, divide the traditional Cryptantha genus into Cryptantha and Oreocarya, supported by recent research.
Distribution and Habitat
- Cryptantha species are distributed across western North America.
- Cryptantha cinerea is a common inhabitant of exposed sandy and rocky areas in lower and middle elevations.
- Specific locations mentioned include California, Wyoming, and the Rocky Mountains.
Considerations for Pets
- Some Cryptantha species, like Cryptantha leucophaea, are densely covered with sharp white hairs.
Considerations for Children
- Some Cryptantha species, like Cryptantha leucophaea, are densely covered with sharp white hairs.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Cryptantha intermedia is described as an annual herb.
- Some species are perennials with clustered stems, growing to 1.5-4 dm tall.
- Leaves can be basal and petiolate, becoming bristly upward.
- Cryptantha cinerea has a silvery woolly appearance.
- Cryptantha muricata (Prickly popcorn flower) grows to under 1 ft tall.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- The text mentions essential oils and methanolic extracts of Salvia cryptantha being examined for antimicrobial and radical scavenging activity.
- Pollination patterns differ greatly between species of Cryptantha.
Quirky Facts
- Cryptantha species are known for being difficult to distinguish due to minute differences in their characteristics.
- Most Cryptantha species have white flowers, but there are two yellow species in the genus.
Further Information
- Intermountain Flora Vol. 4 (Cronquist et al. 1984)
- ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System): for example, Cryptantha hooveri I.M. Johnston (TSN 31819)
- C.V. Starr Virtual Flowers