Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet ssp. arcuata (Fosberg) Henrickson
Desert willow
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.
Habitats: Desert washes and water courses.
Online References:
Wikimedia Commons (photos)
Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet var. arcuata Fosberg
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) 
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) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| 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 |
Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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