"Linnaeus named this genus in 1753. "Litho", is Greek for "stone" and "spermum" for "seed". All three species shown on this page are commonly known as "Puccoons". |
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"Linnaeus named this genus in 1753. "Litho", is Greek for "stone" and "spermum" for "seed". All three species shown on this page are commonly known as "Puccoons". |
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Lithospermum
incisum (Fringed Gromwell, Plains Stoneseed, Fringed Puccoon) Semi-desert, foothills. Canyons, shrublands,
woodlands. Spring. An abundance of long, fringed, lemon-yellow trumpets makes Lithospermum incisum a most attractive plant in bloom. Typically the plant grows low to the ground but it may be as tall as twenty inches. Notice last year's dried flower stems. The photograph above shows an unusually robust plant with leaves much larger than normal. Notice the lighter green leaf growth above the center and at upper left, the result of being stepped on by a person? a deer? a cow? Also notice the white-margined leaves of Frasera albomarginata at the 7 o'clock position. Lehman named this species in 1818 from a specimen collected "near the rapids of the Ohio" by Andre Michaux in 1803. "Incisum", Latin, refers to the incised, fringed edges of the trumpet flowers. The plant is commonly known as "Puccoon" or "Fringed Puccoon". |
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Lithospermum
incisum (Fringed Gromwell, Plains Stoneseed, Fringed Puccoon) Semi-desert, foothills. Canyons, shrublands,
woodlands. Spring. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 21, 2009. Lithospermum incisum begins flowering as the leaves emerge and continues flowering as the plant multiplies many-fold in size. The flowers in the lower photograph are nearly three inches long. |
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Lithospermum
multiflorum (Many-flowered Puccoon, Purple Gromwell, Pretty Stoneseed) Montane, subalpine. Woodlands,
openings. Summer. Bright yellow tubular flowers;
narrow, slightly toothed leaves; and a clumpy growth pattern characterize Lithospermum multiflorum. Stems lean outward in all directions.
Flowers overall are smaller, have a much shorter tube, and have a more open
throat than those of Lithospermum incisum.
Lithospermum multiflorum was named and described by Torrey and Gray in 1874 from specimens whose collector and location of collection are unknown. |
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Lithospermum
ruderale (Field Puccoon, Western Stoneseed) Foothills. Woodlands. Spring. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 30, 2009. This Puccoon grows in crowded, tall, thick clumps and is fairly common in Oakbrush woods. Lithospermum ruderale has yellow-green, hairy stems and tiny pale yellow-to-green-white flowers. Last year's dried stems can be seen in the new clump of stems and more obviously at the base of the new growth. David Douglas collected this species on the banks of the Columbia River, and Lehman described the species in 1830. "Ruderale" is Latin for "rubbish", hence "growing in waste places". |
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Lithospermum
ruderale (Field Puccoon, Western Stoneseed) Foothills. Woodlands. Spring. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 30, 2009. Stems are thick, crowded, and hairy. |
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Lithospermum
ruderale (Field Puccoon, Western Stoneseed) Foothills. Woodlands. Spring. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, April 30, 2009. Although the flowers are quite small and partially buried in the leaves, the overall aspect of the flowers and leaves is quite delicate and appealing. |
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Lithospermum
ruderale (Field Puccoon, Western Stoneseed) Foothills. Woodlands. Spring. Mesa Verde National Park, near amphitheater, May 14, 2004. |
Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
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Range map for Lithospermum incisum
Range map for Lithospermum multiflorum
Range map for Lithospermum ruderale |
Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state
Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Eradicated
Questionable presence
