Yellow Cryptanth
Cryptantha flava Synonym: Oreocarya flava Family: Boraginaceae – Borage Family Perennial herbs; 5.1” to 1.3' (1.3 to 4 dm) tall Leaves: opposite at base and alternate above; simple; densely hairy; 0.8” to 3.6” (2 to 9 cm) long, 0.12” to 0.32” (3 to 8 mm) wide Flowers: 5 united yellow petals with a narrow tube and an abruptly flared top, the tube is 0.36” to 0.48” (9 to 12 mm) long, fornices yellow ; 5 sepals free or united; 5 stamens; radially symmetrical; usually bisexual Pollinators: other genera in this family are pollinated by insects Fruits: 4 nutlets; 1 or 2 nutlets usually maturing Blooms in Arches National Park: March, April, May, June Habitat in Arches National Park: desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities Location seen: widespread, park road mile 0 to 2.5, park road near mile 5.5, mile 8 Other: The genus name, “Cryptantha”, is from the Greek “kryptos” which means “to hide” and “anthos” which means “flower” referring to the bracts obscuring the flowers on some species. The species name, “flava”, means “yellow”. The classification of this family is based primarily upon the structure of the fruit. This genus of plants is only found in America, mostly in the western United States, but also in the deserts of South America. |
Did You Know?
In the late 1800s, John Wesley Wolfe, a disabled Civil War veteran, and his son, Fred, built a homestead in what is now Arches National Park. A weathered log cabin, root cellar, and corral remain as evidence of the primitive ranch they operated for more than 10 years.