Abronia latifolia Eschsch.
yellow sand-verbena (coastal sand verbena)
Nyctaginaceae (Four o'clock family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Pippi Lawn     (Photo ID #75031)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Abronia latifolia
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from thick, deep taproot; finely glandular-hairy throughout, including flowers and fruits; stems trailing, to 2 m long; branches short, forming dense mat.
Leaves:
Opposite, thick and fleshy, broadly egg-shaped to kidney-shaped, 1.5-5 cm long, over half as wide; stalks 1-6 cm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of many-flowered (17-34), rounded heads, on stout flower stalks 1-6 cm long; bracts in a whorl, usually 5, lance-egg-shaped to broadly elliptic; perianth tube greenish-yellow and 8-10 mm long, widely-flaring into 5-lobed limb 5-7 mm wide, bright yellow or somewhat orange.
Fruits:
Achenes, 8-12 mm long, with 4-5 keel-like wings, narrowing at each end, net-veined.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Habitat and Range

Moist coastal beaches and sand dunes in the lowland zone; infrequent on the Queen Charlotte Islands, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands; S to CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia