Polyctenium Explained

Polyctenium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Great Basin region of the Western United States.^[1]

The plants are known by the common name combleaf, owing to the resemblance of their deeply lobed leaves to a comb.

Species

There are two species within the genus:

• Polyctenium williamsiae — Commonly known as the Washoe combleaf, it is the rarer of the two species and is specially protected in Nevada. Found in the Washoe Valley playas of the Virginia Range.^[2]
• Polyctenium fremontii — Commonly known as the Desert combleaf, it is the more common of the two species, being found in the Great Basin habitats of northeastern California, southeast Oregon, southwest Idaho, and northwest Nevada.^[3]

External links

• USDA Plants Profile for Polyctenium (combleaf)

Notes and References

1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=23286 ITIS Report: Polyctenium
2. http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=POWI USDA Plants Profile: Polyctenium williamsiae
3. http://www.plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Idaho&statefips=16&symbol=POFR USDA Plants Profile: Polyctenium fremontii