Rank Species | Genus Peritoma Higher classification Spider flowers | |
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Similar Spider flowers, Cleomaceae, Encelia californica, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Capparaceae | ||
Bladderpod peritoma arborea san diego california
Peritoma arborea (formerly Isomeris arborea, syn. Cleome isomeris), is a perennial shrub or bush in the spiderflower family (Cleomaceae) known by the common names bladderpod, burrofat, and California cleome. It has yellow flowers in bloom all months of the year. It has a foul smelling odor from chemicals it produces to discourage insects from eating it.
Contents
- Bladderpod peritoma arborea san diego california
- Range and habitat
- Growth pattern
- Leaves and stems
- Flowers and fruit
- References
Range and habitat
It is commonly found along roadsides, desert dry washes, and flat areas up to 4,000', in the western Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert to Baja California Peninsula. It is native to California and Baja California Peninsula where it grows in a variety of habitats from coastal bluffs to desert arroyos.
Growth pattern
It is a densely branching shrub reaching 2'-5; in height.
Leaves and stems
Its leaves are made up of three equal leaflets 1/2" to 2" (1-4 cm) long, oval to elliptic in shape and pointed at the tip.
Flowers and fruit
The plant produces abundant inflorescences at the ends of the stem branches all year. Each flowers has four bright yellow petals, four yellow sepals, six whiskery protruding stamens with curling tips holding the anthers.
At the middle is a long, protruding style which holds the developing fruit at its tip.
A typical inflorescence bears a number of unopened flower buds at its tip, open flowers proximal to the buds, and maturing fruits which have shed their flowers below these.
The fruit is an inflated leathery capsule about 4 centimeters long and usually oval in shape. It is smooth and green when new, aging to light brown.
In the previous genus name, "Iso" means "equal", and "meris" means "part", referring to how the pod is divided equally.