Flora of North America species comparison

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Leucophyllum frutescens

cenizo, purple sage, Texas barometer bush, Texas barometer-bush or silver-leaf, Texas sage
Habit Shrubs erect, not intricately branched, rounded, 5–20(–30) dm, not appearing thorny.
Young stems

densely canescent-tomentose, hairs conic to cylindric, dendritic, uneven in height.
Leaves

alternate, rarely opposite;

petiole 1–2 mm;

blade obovate to oblong-obovate or obovate-orbiculate, 10–25(–35) mm, base cuneate, midvein and major lateral veins raised abaxially, abaxial surface silvery gray, adaxial more greenish, hairs conic to cylindric, dendritic, uneven in height.
Flowers

calyx lobes oblong-lanceolate, 3–5 mm;

corolla rose lavender to light violet, pink, and rose pink, rarely white, campanulate, 18–26 mm, tube not notably narrowed.
2n

= 34.

Leucophyllum frutescens
Phenology Flowering (Mar–)May–Sep(–Oct).
Habitat Rocky and gravelly hillsides, talus, arroyos, ridges, flats, roadcuts, clay dunes, scrub, chaparral, thorn scrub, riparian communities.
Elevation 10–1200 m. (0–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
TX; Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Leucophyllum frutescens is widely cultivated; horticultural varieties differ in habit, vestiture, and corolla color. The plants are cold hardy and can withstand moderate frosts. As in most or all Leucophyllum species, plants usually flower in response to rain.

In Texas, Leucophyllum frutescens is known from much of the southwestern half of the state.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 333.
Parent taxa Scrophulariaceae > Leucophyllum
Sibling taxa
L. candidum, L. minus
Synonyms Terania frutescens
Name authority (Berlandier) I. M. Johnston: Contr. Gray Herb. 70: 89. (1924)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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