Hackelia amethystina is a species of flowering plant in the borage family known by the common name amethyst stickseed.

Hackelia amethystina
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Hackelia
Species:
H. amethystina
Binomial name
Hackelia amethystina

Distribution

edit

The plant is endemic to northern California.

It is found in meadows and openings of Yellow pine forest habitats from 1,370–2,200 metres (4,490–7,220 ft) in elevation, in the Northern California Coast Ranges and in the northern Sierra Nevada primarily within Plumas County. In the Sierra it is often mistaken in flower for Hackelia nervosa.

Description

edit

Hackelia amethystina is a densely hairy perennial herb 40 to 80 centimeters tall. The leaves around the base of the stem may be up to 30 centimeters long and there are generally several smaller leaves along the stem.

The inflorescence is an array of coils of flowers. Each flower is just over a centimeter wide with blue to pinkish lobes with white appendages at the bases. The fruit is a cluster of prickly nutlets.

edit