Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Cymopterus 1

Constantine Rafinesque (1783-1840) named this genus, probably in 1833 when he renamed Selinum acaule (a name given by Pursh in 1814) to Cymopterus acaulis. The Greek "cym" and "pterum" come together as "Cymopterus", "waved" "wing", referring to the fruit.

Intermountain Flora observes that "the taxonomic definition of Cymopterus is a vexed question.... Even the distinction between Cymopterus and Lomatium is subject to failure. Ordinarily one or more of the dorsal ribs [of the seeds have wings in] Cymopterus, but not in Lomatium. Cymopterus newberryi completely bridges the difference. In this species the dorsal wings vary from nearly or fully as large as the lateral ones to poorly developed or even obsolete".

See also the first page of Cymopterus and Cymopterus bulbosus and the similar genera Lomatium and Podistera and Oreoxis.

Cymopterus purpureus
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Canyons, openings. Spring.
Carpenter Park, Cortez, Colorado, April 20, 2005.

Typical of the Cymopteris genus, Cymopteris purpureus is much wider than it is tall; it often spreads itself along the ground. The flower head starts in a tight, greenish-yellow cluster but then enlarges and spreads becoming golden. Flowers can, however, also be red. Leaves are shiny blue-green or darker green and they are deeply cut with pointed tips. Stems are often red.

"Purpureus" is from the Latin "purpur", "purple", referring to the stem and to the sometimes color of the flower. The plant was first collected in 1869 by Palmer and named in 1873 by Sereno Watson, Asa Gray's pupil and successor.

Cymopterus purpureus
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert, foothills. Canyons, openings. Spring.
Carpenter Park, Cortez, Colorado, April 20, 2005.

Synonym: Cymopterus terebinthinus. Pteryxia terebinthina.
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert. Canyons, openings. Spring.
Blackrock Canyon, Navajo Reservation, Arizona, May 12, 2007.

Leaves are so widely spaced along the stem and so finely cut that the plant has a very airy, slender, elongated appearance.

Long flower stems also contribute to this appearance. The plant has a pleasant smell.

Cymopterus terebinthinus was collected by David Douglas in 1826 near the Walla-Walla River and it was at first named Selinum terebinthinum by Hooker in 1832; Torrey and Gray renamed it Cymopterus terebinthinus in 1840. "Terebinthinus" is Greek for "Turpentine Tree" and is used here to refer to the odor of C. terebinthinus. Thomas Nuttall posthumously renamed it Pteryxia terebinthina in a publication by John Coulter and Joseph Rose in 1900.

Synonym: Cymopterus terebinthinus. Pteryxia terebinthina.
Apiaceae (Parsley Family)

Semi-desert. Canyons, openings. Spring.
Blackrock Canyon, Navajo Reservation, Arizona, May 12, 2007.