Species: Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma (Torr. & Gray) Iltis

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Polanisia dodecandra ssp. trachysperma (Torr. & Gray) Iltis

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Capparidaceae

Genus:

Polanisia

Species Synonyms:

Polanisia dodecandra var. trachysperma (Torr. & Gray) Iltis
Polanisia trachysperma Torr. & Gray

Common Names:

large clammyweed
clammyweed
sandyseed clammyweed
western clammyweed
red-whisker clammyweed

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southern British Columbia - southern Manitoba

Saskatchewan:

southern Saskatchewan; Maple Creek - Qu’Appelle River Valley

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

sandy or gravely soils on eroded slopes and shores

Associated Species:

common sunflower, Indian ricegrass, needle and thread grass, prairie sagewort, Russian thistle

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Large clammyweed is threatened because it is uncommon in the province. It is only somewhat regionally restricted but most local populations are small.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

20 - 80 cm

Roots:

taproot

Stems:

annual, branched, sticky-hairy

Leaves:

on the stem, alternate, stalked, compound

Leaflets:

3, 2 – 4 cm long, 4 – 20 mm wide, elliptic to inversely lance-shaped, sticky-hairy

Inflorescence:

bracted, unbranched, elongating in fruit; lower bracts with three leaflets; stalks widely divergent

Flowers:

irregular; sepals purple or green; petals 10 – 16 mm long, obtuse, yellowish white to pink; gland prominent between petals and stamens, usually orange; stamens 10 – 20, 9 – 30 mm long, unequal length, staggered maturity, protruding from flower; style 5 - 12 mm long, purple, persistent in fruit

Fruits:

capsule stiffly erect, 2 – 7 cm long, 5 – 10 mm wide, glandular-hairy; seeds many, reddish brown, minutely wrinkled or bumpy

*KEY TO POLANISIA* DODECANDRA IN SASKATCHEWAN**
*The two subspecies intergrade in Saskatchewan and can be quite difficult to separate.

1 Petals < 8 mm long, stamens 8 – 10 mm long, barely surpassing the petals	ssp. dodecandra
1 Petals commonly > 8 mm long, stamens 12 – 30 mm long, greatly surpassing the petals	ssp. trachysperma