Lesser Yellowthroat Gilia
Gilia flavocincta
Photographed in, Maricopa Co., Arizona. This close-up of the flowers was made and is copyrighted by Laurie Nessel.
Photographed in, Maricopa Co., Arizona, Spring 2008.
ANNUAL : An ephemeral spring annual usually apparent in mid spring only in
years with adequate rains.
FLOWERS: Bright pink-lavender flowers are arrayed at the tips of long
spindly branching inflorescences. There are five points and five blue stamens.
The yellow tinge in the throat of the long tubular flower is not always
apparent and there is some variation in the flower color. The style is usually
five-branched.
LEAVES: Leaves are narrowly divided with the ultimate divisions
thread-like. Most leaves may be cob-webby and are crowded near base of plant.
RANGE: Frequent throughout the Sonoran Desert ranging to the east into
the Chihuahuan Desert. Found on rocky slopes and in washes. There are many
difficult to distinguish Gilia species - without careful examination with
magnification and expertise identification is not certain.
FRUIT: Dry, three parted capsules with many seeds.
UNARMED. No thorns.