Pholistoma auritum (Lindley) Lilja var. auritum   Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)   Native   Blue Fiesta Flower

                                            March Photo

Plant Characteristics: Annual, straggling, with coarse loosely branched stems, 3-10 dm. long, with retrorse prickles as well as pubescent; lower lvs. oblong to lance-ovate, 6-15 cm. long, with 7-13 divisions, these oblong or lanceolate, +/- retrorse, the petioles broadly winged and auriculate-clasping; fls. cymose and terminal or solitary and axillary; pedicels 2-3 cm. long; calyx 5-10 mm. long, the lobes lanceolate or lance-ovate, 4-7 mm. long, the auricles 1.5-3 mm. long; corolla lavender to purple with darker markings, 1.5-3 cm. broad, the lobes oval to obovate, the tube pale; appendages purple, triangular, 2-3 mm. long, often fimbriate on free edge; style ca. 5 mm. long; caps. 0.5-1 mm. in diam., enclosed by calyx; seeds 1-4, globose, 2-3 mm. in diam.

Habitat:  Shaded slopes and deep canyons, below 4500 ft.; Coastal Sage Scrub, Chaparral; S. Oak Wd.; L. Calif. to cent. Calif.; Channel Ids.  March-May.

Name:  Greek, pholis, scale, and stoma, mouth.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 517).   Auritum, eared, refers to the clasping eared base of the leaves. (Dale 128).

General:  Uncommon in the study area but very common along the more shaded bluffs between the Newporter Inn and San Joaquin Rd.  Photographed in this location.  Another smaller colony was noted in March 1995, on the lower bluff along Back Bay Drive, approximately one-quarter mile northerly of the road to the Eastbluff burn area.  (my comments).       It is said that the senoritas of early days decorated their ball gowns with sprays of Fiesta Flower, which will cling tightly to thin fabrics.  It is pleasant to think of guitars plinking softly on a moonlit hacienda patio as a dark-eyed young lady stepped out in the fandango, graced with these lovely garlands.  It makes the common name appropriate.  (Dale 128).     Three species in the genus.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 517).       Munz, Flora So. Calif., lists no varieties of this species.  The 1993 Jepson Manual does list two varieties and examination of the local plants indicates that I have var. auritum.  (my comments).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 706; Munz, Calif Flora 518; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 517; Roberts 27.

Photo Ref:  March 2 85 # 13,14,15.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

First Found:  March 1985.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 63.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 12/26/04.  

                        April Photo                                                                  March Photo