There are nearly a dozen Physarias (Bladderpods) in the Four Corners area; Physaria acutifolia is the most common. The genus was named by Asa Gray in 1848 and is now greatly expanded with the addition of all former members of the Lesquerella genus. "Physaria" is Greek for "bladder".  

Click for more Physaria.

As is evident from several photographs on this page (especially the one at left), fruits, pedicels, peduncles, leaves, and stems appear gray-green. They appear so because they are heavily covered with hairs  --  almost always, as is true for other Physaria, stellate hairs, i.e., hairs that branch out in a starburst formation. (See the last photographs on the Physaria acutifolia page.)

Although Physaria pulvinata is a rare plant with a very, very limited range, within that range it is quite often very common with dozens of plants near each other. The plant grows just on highly weathered Mancos Shale and when it finds this suitable home, it grows with great enthusiasm.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Physaria pulvinata