Onosmodium molle ssp. occidentale (Mackenzie) Cochrane
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Onosmodium
 
Species Synonyms: Onosmodium molle var. occidentale (Mackenzie) I.M. Johnston
Onosmodium occidentale Mackenzie
Onosmodium occidentale var. sylvestre Mackenzie
Onosmodium bejariense var. occidentale (Mackenzie) B.L. Turner
Common Names: western marbleseed
soft-hair marbleseed
western onosmodium
western false gromwell
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southwestern Alberta, southeastern Saskatchewan - southwestern
Manitoba
Saskatchewan: southeastern Saskatchewan; Qu’Appelle River Valley, Antler River Valley
Ecoregion: Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: riparian shrubland
Associated Species: Hackelia deflexa var. americana, Prunus virginiana, Symphoricarpos occidentalis
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Vulnerable
Nature Conservancy Status:
G4G5 S2
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Onosmodium molle ssp. occidentalis is vulnerable in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare. It is restricted to one small region of the province and population sizes are variable.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 30 – 90 cm (usually to 60 cm)
Roots: taproot woody
Stems: tufted, can be branched above, stout, stramineus; scabrous
Leaves: few basal, mostly cauline; basal leaves oblanceolate, deciduous; cauline leaves alternate, sessile, 4 – 8 cm long, 1 – 3 cm wide, reduced upwards, lanceolate to elliptic to ovate, apex acute, base rounded, 5 – 7 nerved, pubescence coarse and loose, appressed, margin entire; nerves whitish on abaxial surface, coming together at apex, glabrous
Inflorescence: terminal, very leafy, spicate or scorpioid
Flowers: calyx free nearly to base, 7 – 12 mm long, densely hirsute; corolla tubular, 10 – 20 mm long, lobes 3 – 4 mm long, acute, yellowish white or greenish; stamens included; style long-exserted, persistent
Fruits: nutlets 1 – 4, basally attached, 3.5 – 5 mm long, lacking evident collar, ovoid, cream to light brown, shiny, smooth
 
LITHOSPERMUM VS ONOSMODIUM IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Leaves 5 – 12 cm long, veins very prominent on abaxial surface; corolla greenish white, lobes acute; style conspicuously exserted
Onosmodium
1 Leaves usually < 5 cm long, veins not overly prominent on abaxial surface; corolla yellowish or orange, lobes rounded; style included
Lithospermum