Hackelia besseyi (Rydb.) J.L.Gentry

Authority

Gentry, Johnnie L. & Carr, Robert L. 1976. A revision of the genus Hackelia (Boraginaceae) in North America north of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 26: 121-227.

Family

Boraginaceae

Scientific Name

Hackelia besseyi (Rydb.) J.L.Gentry

Description

Species Description - Biennial 3-7.5(-ll) dm tall; stem from a short taproot, erect, solitary, reflexed- or spreading-hirsute below, strigose or occasionally hirsute and strigose above, the plant sometimes canescent throughout. Leaves sub-appressed hispid-hirsute or merely hirsute, sometimes hispidulous, the pustulose-bases of the hairs generally evident, the basal leaves withering early, 2-9.5 cm long, (5-)10-17 mm wide, oblanceolate, mostly obtuse and petiolate; cauline leaves strongly ascending, (1.5-)2-8.5(-13) cm long, (2-)5-10(-30) mm wide, oblanceolate to linear-oblong or lanceolate, the lowermost leaves petiolate, acute or obtuse, progressively reduced upward, the bracts evident only at the base of the inflorescence. Pedicels short, 5-10 mm long in fruit. Calyx lobes about 1 mm long, lance-ovate, sub-appressed-hirsute-hispid. Corolla limb blue, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, the tube 0.8-0.9 mm long, slightly shorter than the calyx lobes. Fornices with appendages papillate-puberulent or papillate, broader than long, the protuberance about 2 times broader than long. Anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long. Nutlets 2-2.5 mm long, ovate or ovate-lanceolate; dorsal surface verrucose-hispidulous or sometimes only hispidulous, the intramarginal prickles absent; marginal prickles distinct or slightly connate at their bases, 0.5-1.2(-1.5) mm long, 8-13 on each side, a long and a short prickle alternating.

Discussion

Lappula besseyi Rydb., Bull. Torrey Club 31: 636. 1904. Hackelia leptophylla var besseyi (Rydb.) Brand, Pflanzenr. IV. 252(Heft 97): 127. 1931. Lappula grisea Woot. & Standl., Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 164. 1913. Hackelia grisea (Woot. & Standl.) I. M. Johnst., Jour. Arnold Arb. 16: 194. 1935. Type: NEW MEXICO. James Canyon, Sacramento Mountains, August 6, 1905, E. O. Wooton s.n. (US 562188!). Chromosome number, unknown. Type. COLORADO. Mouth of Cheyenne Canyon, elevation 8,000 feet, July 25, 1895, E. A. Bessey s.n. (holotype, NY!). The closest relative to Hackelia besseyi is probably H. floribunda. In addition to the small and inconspicuous flowers, it differs by the spreading inflorescence, stiffer pubescence, and smaller nutlets. A collection from Culberson County, Texas, upper McKittrick Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains, marshy places along stream, elevation 6,000 feet, Moore & Steyermark 3583 (MO), is very densely pubescent with rather long stiff hairs. More field work and study is required in western Texas for a better understanding of this species. All recent floristic treatments of Hackelia place Lappula besseyi as a synonym of either H. deflexa or H. leptophylla. Brand (1931) treated it as a variety of H. leptophylla. This study indicates that L. besseyi and H. grisea, a species heretofore known only from New Mexico and Texas, are taxonomic synonyms. Since the name, L. besseyi, has priority, the southwestern plant will have to take the earlier name proposed by Rydberg. A collection by Macoun 68739 (CAN, NY) from Sherbrooke Lake of the Rocky Mountain Park (Canada) is most interesting. This collection represents typical Hackelia besseyi, but we are not at all confident the plants came from that area. There was possibly an error in placing a Macoun label and number on a collection that came from much farther south in the Rocky Mountains.

Distribution

Habitat and distribution (Fig. 20). On dry hillsides, or in Juniper-Pinyon woodlands, and Fir-Pine forests, or thickets at elevations of 6,000 to 8,800 feet, El Paso County, Colorado south to New Mexico, and Culberson and Brewster Counties, Texas. Flowers in July and August.

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