| Virgin River cryptantha | |
|---|---|
| Cryptantha virginensis in the State Line Hills, 1 km northwest of Primm, Nevada, near the Spring Mountains. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | (unplaced) |
| Family: | Boraginaceae |
| Genus: | Cryptantha |
| Species: | C. virginensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Cryptantha virginensis (M.E.Jones) Payson[1] |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Oreocarya virginensis (M.E.Jones) J.F.Macbr. |
|
Cryptantha virginensis is a species of wildflower in the borage family known by the common name Virgin River cryptantha. This is a small plant native to the southwestern United States (Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah[1]) where it is a common plant in scrub and woodland. It is named for the Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River which runs through the region. This cryptantha is an annual or occasionally a perennial up to 40 centimeters in height. It is coated densely in long white hairs and bristles. The inflorescence is cylindrical or club-shaped, packed with tubular flowers with flat-faced corollas. The flower is usually bright white with yellow throat parts at the tube opening. The fruit is a rough, ridged nutlet.