Collinsia wrightii
Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 24: 84. 1889.
Annuals 5–25 cm. Stems erect. Leaf-blades linear to elliptic, margins entire or serrate. Inflorescences densely glandular; nodes (1–) 3–6-flowered; flowers not crowded; distalmost bracts linear, 0–2 mm. Pedicels ascending to spreading, sometimes reflexed, pendent and/or sigmoid in fruit, usually longer than calyx, visible. Flowers: caly× lobes narrowly deltate to lanceolate, equal to capsule, ape× subacute to rounded; corolla blue-violet to purple, banner white, cream, or pale lilac, 4–6 (–9) mm, sparsely glandular; banner length 0.7–0.8 times wings, lobe base without folds, wings surpassing keel by 1–2 mm; stamens: abaxial filaments glabrous, adaxials glabrous or hairy at base, basal spur 0. Seeds 2, ovate to oblong, sometimes compressed, 2–2.5 mm, margins thickened, inrolled.
Phenology: Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat: Coniferous forests, usually in sandy, granitic soils.
Elevation: 800–4000 m.
Discussion
A report of Collinsia wrightii (as C. torreyi var. wrightii) from western Nevada (J. T. Kartesz 1987) has not been verified by the author.
Collinsia wrightii is often confused with C. parviflora and less frequently with C. torreyi. The corolla of C. wrightii is purplish as in C. torreyi and not the bright blue of C. parviflora. Collinsia wrightii and C. parviflora differ most evidently in plant stature and corolla size; C. wrightii is generally more diminutive.
The large-flowered form of Collinsia wrightii, corolla (6–)8–9 mm, has been treated as C. torreyi var. brevicarinata and occurs only near Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks. The flowers are similar in size to those of C. torreyi as treated here but differ in corolla shape (wings surpassing tip of keel by 1.5–2 mm) and leaf shape and length. The seeds of the large-flowered form are compressed; those of the small-flowered form are not.
A phylogenetic study (B. G. Baldwin et al. 2011) showed that Collinsia wrightii and C. torreyi belong to divergent lineages and supports the recognition of these taxa as distinct species based on differences in the lengths of the wings relative to the tips of the keels.
Selected References
None.