Gymnosteris parvula
| Gymnosteris parvula | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Polemoniaceae |
| Genus: | Gymnosteris |
| Species: | G. parvula |
| Binomial name | |
| Gymnosteris parvula | |
| Synonyms | |
| Gilia parvula | |
Gymnosteris parvula is a flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common name smallflower gymnosteris. It is native to the western United States from California to Montana. This is a small annual herb growing a thin green to red-colored stem only a few centimeters tall. There are no leaves; the word gymnosteris comes from the Greek for "naked stem". Atop the stem is a large, fleshy inflorescence with red-tinged green bracts that serve as leaves. Within the lobular inflorescence are one to five small flowers, each less than a centimeter long. The yellow-throated flower has yellow or white oval-shaped lobes with pointed tips. It is self-pollinating.
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