 DESCRIPTION:
Shrub to 3'. Branches gray. Stems are spineless but taper to a sharp point.
Leaves are inconspicuous, simple, smooth-edged to lobed, grayish-green,
haired to 1/2" long. Flowers bloom April - Oct. and are violet, with
5 petals. Fruit is fuzzy greenish-white ball with barbed spines. White
Ratany has barbs only on the tips of fruit spines whereas Range
Ratany (K. erecta) has barbs along entire fruit spine. Krameriaceae
(Ratany) Family.
NATURAL HISTORY: Ratany photosynthesize, but they also parasitize the
roots of other plants (esp. Triangleaf Bursage
and Creosote Bush) (partial
parasite). Ratany offer their bee pollinators oil instead of nectar.
The oil bees (Centris) acquire nectar from other plants, but scrape
off the oil from ratany to combine with pollen from other plants to feed
their larvae. |
