#rhatany

[thelethalsilence]

[embracingtheview]

Rhatany. Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by rjzimmerman May 8, 2019.

[cedar-glade]

Trailing Lance Leaved Rhatany , False Grass Pink, or False Sandbur Grass

Krameria lanceolata

I was going to make a post about this species much earlier, like in May when it blooms, but, I wanted to find information to make a decent post about a plant that's so cool. 

First let's get the common names out of way. I feel like it’s easy to see why someone could look at this plant from a far and think that it looked similar to the Oklahoma Grass Pink Orchid,  Calopogon oklahomensis, by shape and habitat location. The other name describing deception refers to its lance like leaves, sheathing morphological character, and swollen spike ball of a seed pod that looks similar to Sandburs. For it’s more common common name *coughs* it is more based upon it’s growth habit and morphology. 

The real interesting part is floral morphology at its ecological behavior in a prairie and how it’s related to other dicots. 

Krameria species in all respects are hemiparasitic organisms, meaning they get their nutrients from both parasitism and photosynthesis. Kameria parasitism is specialized form of hemiparasitism though. Where most hemiparasites and parasites focus on sugars this parasite has a widened root haustorium thats main focus is on water intake. Why would a parasite want water more than sugar in some cases?  In the part of Oklahoma where I found this species It gets extremely hot and some plants have adopted ways to retain water or have enlarged tap routes or specialized organs to store water so they can photosynthesize when water is not present, other plants can shut off photosynthesis and boost anthocyanin production or close leaves. Krameria lanceolata has no such adaptation but can still healthily photosynthesize and be more productive than it’s neighbors because of its ability to use its haustorium to siphon water from other plants near by. These haustorium become practically available upon germination and the way they actively search for a host is still being researched.

For more check out:  http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US19780288905

The other thing that is so fascinating to me is their morphology as a product of coevolution with a specific prairie sand bee that collects oil, in the genus Centris. Krameria lanceolata focuses on different glandular utilitie sites instead of the common nectaries found within’ most dicots. These glandular sites are found on the central junction where the pseudo-lobelia and a type of stigmatic surface above the ovaries meet. The pseudo-column has a tuft of anthers at the top as well and as the female fly collects oil for its larva feed it will no doubt cause pollination in such a tight quarter. 

also check out: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4393807?casa_token=4xNjSD2V6MkAAAAA:i9vP87ACUVqptU1XArBMOoR4atMJzzdwZ4_Dw8ULd1GsG_vYJS2CJ3lU7_MlMDFzPRVMlgTKHfYyGpn34ZpT_gXxBQRkV1luwK_bFnisKbB-1hOSlv24&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

and https://www.jstor.org/stable/2441040?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

As for the placement, Phylogenetics is still giving limited answers to where this plant should be place, analysis of pollen has also come out short. So honestly, I can’t wait till more is figured out about this family that used to be assumed as a tribe under Fabaceae or Polygalaceae 

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2442860?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Profile : http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Krameria+lanceolata

Any way sorry for not posting this earlier, I just wanted to make sure I could explain this plant a little bit. 

[embracingtheview]

Mojave aster and rhatany, Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by rjzimmerman April 30, 2017.

[thelethalsilence]

really liked the sun through the rhatany

[embracingtheview]

Rhatany on a parcel of land called “Quail Mountain,” located in the town of Joshua Tree, adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by rjzimmerman April 16, 2017.

[embracingtheview]

Rhatany, Joshua Tree National Park. Photos by rjzimmerman April 9, 2017.

[rjzimmerman]

Desert wildflowers are still crazy in parts of the Mojave Desert. These photos were taken at various spots throughout Joshua Tree National Park. I have several more from a trip yesterday, and will have a lot more from the next two days. I’ll be posting more.

From the top: Mariposa lily (growing into a California buckwheat bush), common phacelia (or what’s left of it....they’ve had their moment and are fading away), another Mariposa lily, desert parsley, rhatany, thistle and a Mojave Mound Cactus (I think....have to think about that one.....might be something else).

Photos by rjzimmerman May 6, 2016.