yellow cups

Chylismia brevipes (A.Gray) Small

Chylismia brevipes, known as yellow cups, is a wildflower native to the desert southwest of the United States. It is an annual plant with hairy stems that can grow over half a meter tall. The plant has basal leaves and produces one to several bright yellow flowers, often with reddish speckling at the base of the petals. The flowers have a long pistil and several shorter stamens with large anthers. The fruit is a hanging capsule that can be several centimeters long.

Description

Chylismia brevipes is a member of the Onagraceae family and is found in North America, particularly in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. The plant is an annual with tall, hairy stems and basal leaves that may be simple or compound. The inflorescence contains one to several flowers, each with bright yellow petals and a central pistil. The anthers of the stamens are large and prominent. The fruit is a capsule that hangs from the plant and can reach several centimeters in length. The species was first described in 1896.