Long-spurred Plectritis
Plectritis ciliosa ssp. ciliosa

[plek-TRY-tis  sil-ee-OH-sa]

FAMILY: Valerianaceae (Valerian)

DESCRIPTION: {native} Tiny pink tubular flower with a spur extending down below ovary - tiny purple dot on either side of the middle lower petal lobe. Angled stem, opposite lanceolate leaves, flowers in whorls, exerted stamens and stigma.

HABITAT: Open, partly shady slopes below 3,300'. We found one small patch on the far side of the lake.

NOTES: We had a hard time identifying this plant. It's stem is angled, but it's not a mint; it's flowers have a long spur, but it's not a larkspur; with it's opposite leaves, it sort of looks like it should be in the snapdragon family, but it's not; so "who is it?" On a field trip, we spotted one and our botany instructor gave us a hint: it has an inferior ovary. With that and the key in our Peterson's Pacific States Wildflower book, Jym found it!