Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet ssp. arcuata (Fosberg) Henrickson
Desert willow
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Asteridae A large class that encompasses asters
Order Lamiales Aromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
Family Bignoniaceae After the Abbe Jean Paul Bignon (1662-1743)
Genus Chilopsis From the Greek cheilos , “a lip,” and -opsis , “resemblance,” and thus referring to the distinctly lip-like shape of the calyx
Species linearis Linear or lined
ssp. arcuata Arched or bent like a bow
About plant names...
Desert willow is native to parts of the American southwest and Mexico. It prefers desert
washes and water courses.
Plants: Shrubs or small trees, 5-30′ (1.5-9 m) in height.
Bark is brown and rough, rarely more than 5″ (12 cm) around at the base.
Leaves: Smooth-edged, pale green, usually alternate ,
shaped like a grass blade, 4-10″ (10-26 cm) long.
Flowers: Soft and hairy, with two lips, purple, lavendar, pink, or white,
or some combination thereof, with yellow and purple markings in the throat. Margins are jagged and wavy. Flowers are fragrant, and up to 1½″ (4 cm) around. Flowers appear from May to September.
Fruits: Brown tubular seed pods are less than 1′ (35 cm) long. Seeds
are ⅛-⅜″ (6-12 mm) in size, winged, and are hairy on both ends.
Online References:
Wikimedia Commons (photos)
The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association
Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and the Plants of the Sonoran Desert
CalPhotos
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network
The Jepson Manual
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 20 cm)
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet var. arcuata Fosberg
Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm)
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California
4/30/2018 · Kelso Depot Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve, California · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm)
Range:
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