''Polanisia dodecandra'' is a species of flowering plant in the

Cleomaceae The Cleomaceae are a small family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales, comprising about 220 species in two genera, '' Cleome'' and '' Cleomella''. These genera were previously included in the family Capparaceae, but were raised to a dis ...

family, known by the common name redwhisker clammyweed or clammyweed, and there are three subspecies of ''Polanisia''. Usually annual, occasionally

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

, Polanisia is native to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, and is found throughout much of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It favors full sun, mesic to dry conditions, and barren, sandy or gravelly soils, even highly disturbed areas where there is little other ground vegetation. It looks similar to a close relative, the spider flower ('' Cleome''). The

scientific name In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

of the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

derives from the fact that the plant has numerous, long stamens of unequal lengths (from Greek ''polys'', "many", and ''anisos'', "unequal"). The name of the species, ''dodecandra'' means "having 12 stamens". The common name clammyweed refers to the sticky, or clammy, residue left on hands after handling the plant. ''Polanisia'' grows from tall and the vegetation and sap have a noticeable odor described as smelling unpleasant, sulphur-like, "strong and rank". The leaves, about long, are made up of three palmate leaflets. The stems are covered in

glandular hair Trichomes (; ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a plant ...

s, and numerous flowers are borne in terminal racemes (May–October). Each flower has four white or cream petals about long, and reddish purple stamens extend well beyond the petals (hence the "red whisker" clammyweed

nomenclature Nomenclature (, ) is a system of names or terms, or the rules for forming these terms in a particular field of arts or sciences. (The theoretical field studying nomenclature is sometimes referred to as ''onymology'' or ''taxonymy'' ). The principl ...

). The seedpods are long, slender capsules long. They contain multiple small reddish brown seeds approx . ''Polanisia'' seedpods project upward (whereas ''Cleome'' pods project out or down). There are several subspecies of ''Polanisia dodecandra'', including: * ''Polanisia dodecandra'' subsp. ''dodecandra'' – redwhisker clammyweed * ''P. dodecandra'' subsp. ''riograndensis'' – Rio Grande clammyweed (only found in Texas) * ''P. dodecandra'' subsp. ''trachysperma'' – sandyseed clammyweed.

Uses

The plant is related to the

caper ''Capparis spinosa'', the caper bush, also called Flinders rose, is a perennial plant that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers. The taxonomic status of the species is controversial and unsettled. Species with ...

. There are culinary and ceremonial uses.

References

External links

* *
Missouri Plants Photo ProfilePhoto gallery
Cleomaceae Plants described in 1824 Flora of the United States Flora of Canada {{Brassicales-stub