''Pogogyne abramsii'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the

mint family The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle, or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, sav ...

known by the common name San Diego mesa mint.

Distribution

It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county (United States), county in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of California, north to its Mexico-United States border, border with Mexico. As of the 2020 United States Cen ...

, where it is known only from a few sites at

vernal pool Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the saf ...

s in and around

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

and its suburbs. Much of its range is located on the grounds of

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. It is located in Miramar, a commu ...

. The plant has been federally listed as an

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

since 1978.

Description

''Pogogyne abramsii'' is a small, aromatic, densely hairy annual herb producing erect stems topped with tiny but showy

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s. The inflorescence contains purple-tinged green

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

s and densely hairy

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s surrounding lipped, bell-shaped flowers each about a centimeter long. The flower is pinkish-purple with a purple-spotted white throat. It has a strong mint scent. The plant is

pollinated Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, for example bees, beetles or butterflies; bird ...

by several species of bee, including

honey bees A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to mainland Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the ...

(''Apis mellifera''), '' Exomalopsis nitens'' and '' E. torticornis'', and the

bee fly The Bombyliidae are a family (biology), family of fly, flies, commonly known as bee flies. Some are colloquially known as bomber flies. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators. Larvae are mostly parasitoids o ...

'' Bombylius facialis''. The

epithet An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

''abramsii'' commemorates

LeRoy Abrams LeRoy Abrams (1874–1956) was an American botanist and writer. He was a Professor of Botany at Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research un ...

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Pogogyne abramsii''

USDA Plants Profile: ''Pogogyne abramsii''

California Native Plant Society Rare Plant Profile

''Pogogyne abramsii'' — Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5476357 abramsii Endemic flora of California Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of San Diego County, California Plants described in 1931 Flora without expected TNC conservation status