Ayenia compacta

Ayenia compacta is a species of shrub in the mallow family known by the common name California ayenia.

Ayenia compacta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Ayenia
Species:
A. compacta
Binomial name
Ayenia compacta
Synonyms

Ayenia californica

It is native to California, Arizona, and Baja California, in the Sonoran Desert and its Colorado Desert, and in the sky islands of the Mojave Desert.

Description

Ayenia compacta is a small shrub producing many erect, branching stems up to 40 centimeters tall from a taproot. The sparse leaves are oval in shape and edged in dull teeth.

The flowers appear in the leaf axils. Each has upcurled sepals in one layer and downcurled petals in a layer just above. Each petal has a threadlike claw.

The capsule fruit is a purple-tinted yellow sphere about half a centimeter wide.


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