Aliciella subnuda (synonym Gilia subnuda, common name - coral gilia or carmine gilia) is a biennial or perennial plant in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae) found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association,
Description
Growth pattern It is a biennial or perennial plant growing from a basal rosette.
Sticky leaves and stems catch blowing sand and dirt giving them a sandy coating.
Leaves and stems lobed leaves are spatula shaped or egg shaped with sticky hairs.
Stems are thin and sticky.
Inflorescence and fruit It blooms from May to July. Clustering at the ends of the stems, reddish or carmine flowers have a long corolla tube flaring to 5 lobes.
Taxonomy Gilia subnuda was scientifically described and named in 1870 by Asa Gray, who credited the work of John Torrey. It was moved out of genus Gilia and into Aliciella as Aliciella subnuda in 1998 by James Mark Porter. Togeather with its genus it is classified in the Polemoniaceae family and the species has five botanical synonyms.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Notes Gilia subnuda 1870 species ≡ hom. Gilia subnuda subsp. haydenii 1907 subspecies = het. Gilia subnuda subsp. superba 1907 subspecies ≡ hom. Gilia superba 1893 species ≡ hom., nom. illeg. Navarretia subnuda 1891 species ≡ hom. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
Habitat and range It can be found in warm desert shrub, pinyon juniper woodland, and ponderosa pine forest communities across the southwestern United States.
Ecological and human interactions Flowers are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds.
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