Krameria lanceolata Torr.

  • Authority

    Simpson, Beryl B. 1989. Krameriaceae. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 49: 1-108. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Krameriaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Krameria lanceolata Torr.

  • Type

    Type. [United States. Oklahoma]. On the Canadian [River], James 33 (lectotype, NY).

  • Synonyms

    Dimenops lanceolata (Torr.) Raf., Krameria beyrichii Sporl. ex O.Berg, Krameria secundiflora var. angustifolia Chodat, Krameria secundiflora var. intermedia Chodat, Krameria secundiflora var. lanceolata Chodat, Krameria spathulata Small ex Britton

  • Description

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    Species Description - Sprawling, decumbent, perennial herbs occasionally with branches 0.3-1.0 m long, but generally radiating from a central woody underground stem; decumbent branches up to 1 m long, green, varying from densely tomentose to sparsely strigose. Leaves simple, sessile, entire, usually linear or linear-lanceolate but occasionally spatulate near stem bases, 5-25 mm long, 0.9-4.0 mm wide, acute, mucronate, variably strigose. Flowers borne in secund racemes (-panicles) terminating every branch; flowering stalks 10-30 mm long each separated in the distal portion into peduncle and pedicel by a pair of linear bractlets 10-15 mm long, 0.5-2.0 mm wide; flowering stalks shed entirely if a flower aborts; buds obliquely lanceolate in outline, slightly expanded ventrally; sepals five, spreading, lanceolate to ovate, entire, acute, densely strigose dorsally, deep purple; uppermost sepal 8-15 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; lowermost sepal 10-16 mm long, 3-6 mm wide; lateral sepals narrower than the lowermost; glandular petals cuneate, 1.5-3.0 mm, pink, apricot-colored, or reddish with secretory blisters restricted to the upper half or quarter of the dorsal faces and to the distal, often plicate and convolute edge; petaloid petals three, clawed, 5-7 mm long, basally connate for about 4 mm with the connate portion cream-colored or pink and the terminal, free portions expanded into reniform, crenulate, purple, or pink and purple-edged, blades 1.5-2.0 long, 2-3 mm wide; stamens four, equal in length, 3-4 mm long, inserted on the connate base of the petaloid petals with lateral pairs fused for 1-2.5 mm beyond the point of insertion, pale pink; pollen 47-50 in diam., 3-porate with the pores lalongate and ca. 20 µm long; ovary ovoid, 3-4 mm long, densely strigose, surmounted by a stout, glabrous, pink style 2.5-4.0 mm long. Fruits globose or occasionally slightly cordate in outline with a short ridge extending from the tip of the fruit on each side toward the pedicel, 5.5-8.0 mm in diam. excluding spines, variously pubescent and bearing stout, blunt, scattered spines; individual spines yellow, 1.8-5.3 mm long, grading in size from larger to shorter distally, 0.3-0.8 mm wide in basal diam., bearing numerous, conspicuous, wavy, long white trichomes proximally and numerous, minute, retrorse barbs at the distal ends. Chromosome number, n = 6 (Turner, 1958).

  • Discussion

    According to Burlage (1968), the roots of this species are used to make a medicinal tea that is taken to combat diarrhea, hair and teeth loss, and cancer of the tongue.

    Krameria lanceolata is a showy species with flowers that rank, along with those of K. cytisoides and K. grandiflora, among the largest in the genus. The secund, floriferous branches radiating from underground stems can provide a spectacular sight. The spreading, rather than connivent, sepals also add to the attractiveness of the flowers. In addition to its herbaceous habit, K. lanceolata exhibits additional apomorphies such as secund racemes, extremely long peduncles, convoluted, secretory lip at the distal edge of the glandular petals, pronounced fusion of the flag petals, and stout spines that grade in size from the base to the tip of the fruit. Nevertheless, the species obviously belongs in a clade with K. erecta, K. ramosissima, K. pauciflora, and K. revoluta because all share the derived characters of strongly connate flag petals and secretory blisters restricted to the distal ends of the glandular petals.

    Krameria lanceolata has the broadest distribution of any Krameria species in the United States, with populations (Fig. 22A) ranging from the Rio Grande in Texas into Kansas, where its northern limit forms the boundary of distribution of Centris bees in North America. Krameria lanceolata also has disjunct populations in Florida and adjacent Georgia. Centris likewise has disjunct populations in this part of the southeastern United States. Small segregated the Florida and Georgia populations as K. spathulata which he considered to differ from other populations primarily in the possession of spatulate leaves at the base of the branches. However, expanded leaves, often spatulate in outline, can be found in specimens from thoroughout the range of the species. Some authors have also suggested that the turkey oak-pine habitats of the Florida and Georgia populations are distinct from those to the west, but they actually resemble the oak-juniper and post oak grassland of Texas populations in terms of dominant taxa (Quercus and grasses) and in coverage.

    There has been confusion in the past about the correct name for this species. Many earlier authors used the name Krameria secundiflora, but most recent American authors (e.g., Correll & Johnston, 1970; Martin & Hutchins, 1980) have used Krameria lanceolata Torrey because of uncertainty about the application of de Candolle’s name. Robertson (1973) actually suggested that the name K. secundiflora DC. should be abandoned because it was so ambiguous. It is true that there is no specimen to typify K. secundiflora, but the Sesse and Mocino drawing from which de Candolle described the species is quite good. The drawing clearly shows long flowering stalks, a large amount of fusion of the flag petals and stout fruit spines. The flowers in the drawing are clearly secund, and were described so by de Candolle. There are only two North American species with this combination of characters, K. lanceolata and K. secundiflora. The characters by which the two species can be easily distinguished, the amount of fusion of the lateral stamens beyond the point of insertion on the upper petals and the colors of the sepals and glandular petals do not show in the drawing. Dissections of flowers from a large number of populations show that the amount of filament connation and flower color are consistent and that there are two allopatric entities involved. The eastern species has partially connate lateral stamens, dark crimson sepals, dark pink glands, and little-branched stems. The western species has free (or very slightly connate stamens), light pink sepals, green glands, and (generally) branched stems. Since Sesse and Mocino are now known (McVaugh, 1977) to have collected only in the central, southern and northwestern parts of Mexico, it is obvious that the epithet secundiflora can only apply to the western species.

    Chodat (1890) seems to have considered Krameria lanceolata and K. secundiflora to be synonyms as indicated by his treating K. lanceolata as a variety of K. secundiflora. The other varieties circumscribed by Chodat (1890) properly belong within K. lanceolata but appear to reflect nothing more than individual variation. Morphotypes similar to the types of his varieties can be found scattered throughout the range of the species.

    Distribution and Ecology: Particularly abundant in Texas, ranging northward into Oklahoma and Kansas, westward to Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and southward to Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico. Scattered populations occur disjunctly in Florida and southern Georgia. No populations have been reported in Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana. Primarily on sandy, calcareous or occasionally clay-based soils, usually in open grassy habitats with oak, or oak and pine from sea level to 1500 m. Flowering and fruiting occur predominantly in May and June but occasionally from March through October.

  • Common Names

    crameria, mountain burr, Texas rhatany, Trailing ratany, clameria, crameria, mezquitillo, raíz de cuclillo

  • Distribution

    United States of America North America| Arizona United States of America North America| Colorado United States of America North America| Florida United States of America North America| Georgia United States of America North America| Kansas United States of America North America| New Mexico United States of America North America| Oklahoma United States of America North America| Texas United States of America North America| Mexico North America| Chihuahua Mexico North America| Coahuila Mexico North America|