Serpentine Leptosiphon

Serpentine Linanthus
Leptosiphon ambiguus
NATIVE – CA ENDEMIC

Description (Jepson, PlantID.net)

• Eudicotyledon
  • Eudicots are a major lineage of flowering plants; see family for general characteristics
• Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae)
• Annual herb
• Stem generally erect, threadlike, and branching
• Leaves
  • Opposite (2 leaves at each junction with stem), appearing whorled
    • Small pairs are widely-spaced along stems
  • Palmately compound (separate leaflets radiating from a single point) with deeply-cleft, needle-like leaflets
• Flowers
  • Inflorescence (flower arrangement) usually solitary from leaf axil (junction with stem) or a few-flowered cyme (a flower cluster on which the central or terminal flower blooms first)
    • Long flower stalks (peduncles) to 2 in.
  • Funnel-shaped flower with 5-petaled, dish-like face (salverform)
    • Petals lavender to pink
    • Throat ringed white to yellow, with violet below
    • Stamens (male flower parts) with yellow-orange pollen are exserted (extending beyond petals)
  • Ovary superior (above the attachment of other flower parts)
• Fruit a capsule (a dry, multi-chambered fruit that splits open at maturity)
• Height to 8 in.

Distribution

• Native and endemic (limited) to California
  • Grows in valley grassland, foothill woodland, and northern coastal scrub, generally on serpentine soils
  • 95% of plants occur on ultramafic soils, e.g.serpentine; see ultramafic affinity rankings (Calflora per Safford and Miller 2020)
  • See Serpentine Grassland for more about Edgewood’s serpentine soil and the unique communities it supports
  • See Calflora for statewide observations of this plant
• California Rare Plant Rank: 4.2 (Watch list: limited distribution or infrequent throughout a broader area in California)
• Grows at elevations to 3,280 ft.

Uses (San Mateo County Parks prohibits removal of any natural material)

• No documented wildlife or human uses found for this species

Name Derivation

• Leptosiphon (lep-toe-SY-fon) – from the Greek leptos, “slender,” and siphon, “tube”
• ambiguus (am-BIG-yoo-us) – from the Latin ambiguus,  “uncertain” or “ambiguous,” possibly referring to its uncertain relationship with other Leptosiphons with more typical, compact flowerheads

Notes

• Previously in the genus Linanthus
  • Linanthus – from the Greek linon, “flax,” and anthos, “flower”
  • Often still used in common names for Leptosiphon species

ID Tips

• May be confused with 3 other species of Leptosiphon at Edgewood, along with one non-native member of the Flax family (Linaceae), narrow-leaved flax (Linum bienne)
  • Small-flowered leptosiphon (L. parviflorus), Edgewood’s most common species 
  • Common leptosiphon (L. androsaceus)
  • Flax-flowered leptosiphon (L. liniflorus)

	Serpentine Leptosiphon	Small-flowered Leptosiphon	Common Leptosiphon	Flax-flowered Leptosiphon	Narrow-leaved Flax
Inflorescence	few-flowered spray	many-flowered head	many-flowered head	few-flowered spray	few-flowered spray
Flower Shape	flat, open-face … funnel	flat, open face … very long, narrow funnel	flat, open face … long, narrow funnel	cupped to open face … short funnel	cupped to open face … no funnel
Floral Tube Length	≤ 0.24 in.	≤ 1.8 in	≤ 1.3 in	≤ 0.08 in.	…
Petal Color	lavender to pink	white to cream¹ … often with 2 red dots at yellow base	pale lavender to pink	white … purple veins	white to blue … purple veins
Pollen Color	yellow-orange	yellow-orange	yellow-orange	yellow-orange	blue

At Edgewood

• Found in serpentine grasslands
  • No iNaturalist observations are documented because locations of rare species are obscured
• Flowers March – June

Specific References

Alexander, E.B. 2010, Oct. & 2011, Jan. Serpentine soils and why they limit plant survival and growth. Fremontia 38/39: 28-31.

Miller, L.B. 2004. Linanthus ambiguus [Illustration of Leptosiphon ambiguus, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.

Miller, L.B. 2004. Linanthus androsaceus [Illustration of Leptosiphon androsaceus, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.

Miller, L.B. 2004. Linanthus liniflorus [Illustration of Leptosiphon liniflorus, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.

Miller, L.B. 2004. Linanthus parviflorus [Illustration of Leptosiphon parviflorus, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.

Miller, L.B. 2004. Linum bienne [Illustration, adapted]. T. Corelli. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California. (c) CC BY NC 3.0.

Safford, H.D. 2010, Oct. & 2011, Jan. Serpentine endemism of the California flora. Fremontia 38/39: 32-39.

Safford, H.D., and J.E.D. Miller. 2020. An updated database of serpentine endemism in the California flora. Madroño 67(2): 85-104. BioOne Complete. PDF hosted by San Diego State University, San Diego, California.

General References

Calflora Database. 2014. Berkeley, California.

Calscape. 2018. California Native Plant Society.

Charters, M.L. 2015. California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations.

Charters, M.L. 2017. Southern California Wildflowers: Guide to the Pronunciation of Specific, Generic and Family Names.

Corelli, T. 2004. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California.

Dave’s Garden.

Elpel, T.J. 2013. Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification. HOPS Press, Pony, Montana.

Flora of North America. efloras.org.

Harris, J.G., and M.W. Harris. 2013. Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary. Spring Lake Publishing, Spring Lake, Utah.

Keator, G. 2009. California Plant Families. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California.

Native American Ethnobotany DB.

Regents of the University of California. Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium. University of California, Berkeley.