Plant Name
Scientific Name: Krameria erecta
Synonyms: Krameria glandulosa, K. imparata, K. parvifolia
Common Names: Littleleaf Ratany, Pima Ratany, Range Ratany
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub, Subshrub, Hemiparasite
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert, Upland
Flower Color: Brilliant magenta pink
Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Height: To 2 feet (61 cm) tall
Description: The flowers have 5 petal-like, oval, magenta sepals and 5 tiny petals. The sepals are cupped forward and the distinctive bottom sepal is cupped and curled upwards. There are 3 upper petals and 2 lateral, glandular petals. The nutlike fruits are rounded and covered in fuzzy, white hair and reddish spines that are lined with tiny barbs. The leaves are small, green, hairy, alternate, and linear in shape. The stems are branched and sprawling at the base. The plants are partial root parasites of nearby plants.
The similar White Ratany (Krameria grayi) is only found in desert areas and has flowers with a non-cupped bottom sepal, while Trailing Krameria (Krameria lanceolata) has long, trailing stems and flowers with a non-cupped bottom sepal.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Polygalales
Family: Krameriaceae – Krameria family
Genus: Krameria L. – ratany
Species: Krameria erecta Willd. ex Schult. – littleleaf ratany
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