Gilia clivorum (Jeps.) V, Grant   Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)   Native   Hillside Gilia

                                        March Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Erect or divaricately branched annual 0.6-3.5 dm. high, +/- floccose below, glandular above; lvs. unipinnate or bipinnate, 1-6 cm. long the ultimate segms. frequently elliptical, sometimes filiform, 0.5-2 mm. wide;  fls. 2-5 in glomerules on peduncles 0.5-3 cm. long; pedicels 1-10 mm. long; calyx floccose or glandular, 4-5 mm. long in fl., 5.6. mm. in fr.; corolla funnelform, 6-8 mm. long, the limb 3-5.  mm. wide when pressed, the tube yellow, the throat with 5 pairs of purple spots, the limb blue-violet with oval spreading lobes 1-2 mm. wide; stamens included; the stigmas scarcely beyond the anthers; caps. ovoid, 24-36 seeded; seeds ovoid, 1-1.5 mm. long.

Habitat:  Open fields and slopes; V. Grassland, Foothill Wd., etc.;  cent. Calif.  to Santa Barbara and Ventura cos., n. San Diego co.; Santa Barbara Id.  March-May.

Name:  Named for Felipe Gil, Spanish botanist.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 644).  See G. capitata ssp. abrotanifolia for additional information on the genus name.  Latin, cliv, hill and orum, plural masculine possessive case ending = of -- clivorum, of the hills.  (John Johnson).

General:  Rare in the study area, having been found only once and this in the burn area below Eastbluff.  (my comment).      A genus of about 50 spp., Calif. and S. America.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 644).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed.832; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 649; Roberts 32.

Photo Ref: Mar 2 85 # 23A,24A.

Identity: by John Johnson.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 252.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 5/30/03.

                                               March Photo