Krameria erecta – Littleleaf Ratany

Krameria erecta - Littleleaf Ratany, Pima Ratany, Range Ratany (flowers)

Krameria erecta - Littleleaf Ratany, Pima Ratany, Range Ratany (seedpods)

Krameria erecta - Littleleaf Ratany, Pima Ratany, Range Ratany

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

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map