Scientific Family
Krameriaceae
Synonyms
Krameria glandulosa, Krameria imparata, Krameria parvifolia
Other common names
range ratany
pima ratany
purple heather
Plant type
Shrubs
Riparian
No
Plant Description
Origin
Native
A low-growing, spreading shrub with grayish-green, densely-hairy, narrow leaves; especially distinctive are the pinkish-purple flowers which can cover the plant during wetter times and the inflated fruits with spines with small hooks at the ends.
Low shrub with many short, crowded, spreading branches; stems tough and woody with gray bark; alternate leaves are very narrow; flowers showy, solitary; fruits spherical and moderately compressed with small barbs.
Height
6 inches to 2 feet
Width
2 to 3 feet
Habitat
Habitat description
Found on sandy, gravelly plains adjacent to mountains and rocky hills.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
500
High elevation
5000
Leaves
Leaf color
Grayish-green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaf hairs
Top and bottom of leaves
Spines
No
Leaf Drop
Deciduous
Leaves are grayish-green, inconspicuous, simple, smooth-edged to lobed, narrow to 1/2 inch long.
Flowers
Flower color
Pinkish-purple
Flower shape
Irregular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
October
Flowers have 5 pinkish-purple petal-like sepals to 3/4 inch wide with the lower sepal cupped. Upper 3 petals are much smaller than the sepals and are held upright, the lower 2 petals resemble small greenish pads that are glandular and flank the ovary.
Flower clusters
None
Fruit
Fruit color
Greenish-white
Fruit type
Pod
Heart-shaped in outline.