Radial, 5 Petals Overlapped or Fused   Return to SDWildflowers page 

• Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family) - Obsolete Family: Asclepiadaceae

  -- Asclepias eriocarpa (Indian Milkweed) --   Common on dry or grassy slopes 1000+ ft  --   Shrub several ft high --   -- Funastrum cynanchoides (Climbing Milkweed) --  Vine, infrequent on shrubby slopes below 1500 ft, both sides of mountains

• Boraginaceae (Forget-Me-Not Family)

  -- Amsinckia (Fiddleneck) --   Bright yellow or orange flowers along spiny coil.  -- Cryptantha & Plagiobothrys - many species of both, with characteristic "Popcornflower" shape. --  Petals white, central tube yellow to white. -- Tiquilia (Coldenia) common desert small shrub ##

• Convolvulaceae (Morning Glory Family)

  Calystegia (Morning Glory)  -- Vine found commonly on dry slopes   --

• Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)

  -- 5 or 10 Stamens -- Stamens free or attached to Petals -- Petals may form an elongated urn shape -- Petals may be fused --

• Cucurbitaceae (Gourd Family)

  -- Marah macrocarpus (Wild Cucumber) --  Early spring vine, growing from large tuber. --  First obvious green plants in areas of major San Diego fires of 2003 - vines several feet long in early Feb 2004. --  Flower small, about 10mm (half diam of US penny) --

• Ericaceae (Heath Family)

  Arctostaphylos glauca (Manzanita) Xylococcus bicolor (Mission Manzanita) -- Common chaparral shrub -- 5 Petals fused into urn shape --  --  --

• Fouquieriaceae (Heath Family)

  Fouquieria splendens (Ocotillo) -- Common desert shrub -- 5 Petals fused into cylindrical tube -- Flower heads atop long erect stems 6 to 30 ft high. -- Stem covered with small dark green leaves, many spines 1 to 2 inches long. --

• Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry Family)

  Ribes (R. indecorum, Winter-flowering Currant) -- Common chaparral shrub -- 5 Petals, 5 Sepals -- 2 Styles fused almost to tip -- Stems have Spines in some Ribes Species -- Ribes speciosum is unusual in this Family with 4 Sepals and 4 (hard to count) Petals

• Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)

  Family moving to Boraginaceae Nemophila - (Baby Blue Eyes) Phacelia - 22 Species throughout S.D.County Eriodictyon (Yerba Santa) common chaparral bush

• Limnanthaceae (Meadowfoam Family)

  -- Low herbs of open moist places -- Leaves pinnately divided into linear segments -- Petals & Sepals free -- 8 or 10 Stamens, 4 or 5 Pistils

• Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

  -- Shrub to low-growing Herb -- Leaves alternate and simple -- Leaves on petioles (leaf stems) -- 5 Sepals

• Plumbaginaceae (Leadwort Family) - Common in sandy areas near coast.

  Limonium perezii (Statice aka Marsh-Rosemary)  --  Blue are Sepals, White are Petals    --  Species native to Canary Islands. --   Limonium californicum (Western Marsh-Rosemary) --  Common Calif native, White Sepals, Blue Petals  --

• Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)

  -- Large Family - many Genera e.g.: Gilia, Linanthus, Ipomopsis, ... -- 5 Stamens, usually appear attached to Petals above base of Corolla tube, Pollen on Anthers often colored. -- Flwr typically dime to penny size.

• Portulacaceae (Purslane Family)

  -- Foliage fleshy -- Generally 5 Petals (more in Lewisia) -- Style or Stigma has 3 branches (more in Lewisia) -- Ovary partly inferior, partly superior

• Primulaceae (Primrose Family)

  Dodecatheon clevelandii (Shooting Star) --  Petals reflexed, color ranges from white to magenta.   -- Common on grassy slopes, coastal & foothill Anagallis arvensis (Scarlet Pimpernel) -- Common weed on disturbed areas -- Non-Native from Europe

• Solanaceae (Nightshade Family, includes Potato, Tomato)

  -- Petals mostly fused -- Big Family - 8 San Diego Genera e.g.: Solanum (Nightshade) - 11 Species  Nicotiana (Tobacco) -  5 Species Lycium (Box Thorn) - 8 Species, see Family Physalis (Ground Cherry) - 5 Species,  " Datura (Jimson Weed) - 3 Species, see Family