Hackelia diffusa is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae known by the common name spreading stickseed.[1]

Hackelia diffusa
Hackelia diffusa flowering near Wenatchee, Washington
Almost ripe nutlets of Hackelia diffusa var. arida
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Boraginaceae
Genus: Hackelia
Species:
H. diffusa
Binomial name
Hackelia diffusa
(Lehm.) I.M. Johnst.

Distribution and habitat edit

The plant grows east of the Cascades in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon.[2] Its habitats include rocky cliffs, talus slopes, and shrub steppe.[3]

Description edit

Hackelia diffusa is a perennial herb from 2 to 7 dm tall. The lower part of the plant is covered with spreading, stiff hairs, while the upper has appressed hairs.[2]

It has an inflorescence of false-racemes with numerous white flowers that have a yellow center. The boom period is from May to July. The fruits are clusters of four nutlets that have marginal and intramarginal prickles.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ USDA Plants database, accessed May 20, 2021- https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HADI2
  2. ^ a b c "Burke Herbarium Image Collection". biology.burke.washington.edu.
  3. ^ "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2022-06-08.