Lanceleaf Moonpod

I have not grown this plant. Lanceleaf Moonpod (Selinocarpus lanceolatus; synonym: Acleisanthes lanceolata) is also commonly known as la...Read Morence-leaf moonpod, gypsum moonpod and shrubby honey-sweet. This low branched perennial subshrub/shrub is native to New Mexico (six counties), Texas (Trans-Pecos Region: Hudspath, Culberson Counties) and northern Mexico and grows in gypsum and gypsum-saline soils along the margins of dunes, but not on the dunes. From its ligneous (woody) root, numerous diffusely branching slender stems arise which are woody at the base. The stems are cylindrically tapering, tumid (swollen) at the nodes as well as pulverulent (appearing as if covered in fine powder) pubescent. The bluish-green, opposite, thick, entire, obtuse, glaucous, lanceolate leaves are pubescent with small scattered scale-like hairs. They are1 to 3 cm long and 5 to 8 mm wide and sessile or on very short petioles. The funnel-form blooms are 15 mm or more in length with conspicuous tubes and are cleistogamous (automatic self-pollination) meaning that the plant propagates by using non-opening, self-pollinating flowers as well as open blooms. These fragrant blooms are pollinated by hawkmoths. The oblong-prismatic, 6 mm long fruit have five indurated (hardened) angles upon which are membranous wings that are 2 to 3 mm wide. Between the angles, the fruit is membranous. The fruit contains one seed that is suspended by a funiculus from the top of the pericarp. It can be distnguished from Selinocarpus diffusus by its fleshy, narrower, glaucous, not scabrous leaves.

Lanceleaf Moonpod Selinocarpus lanceolatus is Native to Texas and other States.