Antirrhinum controversum Pau

Taxonomy

Antirrhinum controversum Pau is a perennial herbaceous species in the snapdragon genus Antirrhinum, which belongs to the Plantaginaceae family.

Growth Form

Overall, plants of this species grow in a subshrub form. They produce thick aerial stems that reach between 35 cm (14 in) and 150 cm (59 in) in height.

Leaf Arrangement

Leaves mostly grow in an alternating arrangement along the stems.

Leaf Shape and Color

These leaves are lanceolate shaped, and follow the typical Antirrhinum color pattern: green on the upper leaf surface, and purple on the lower leaf surface.

Leaf Size

They measure between 6 mm (0.24 in) and 40 mm (1.6 in) long, and 0.5 mm (0.020 in) to 6 mm (0.24 in) wide.

Inflorescence Position

For Antirrhinum species, inflorescences develop at the tips of stems.

Inflorescence Flower Count

Each inflorescence of A. controversum holds 10 to 40 densely packed flowers.

Flower Attachment and Arrangement

Flowers attach to the stem via 1 mm (0.039 in) to 3 mm (0.12 in) long pedicels, and are arranged in an alternating pattern, held in an erect position.

Corolla Size

The full corolla (entire flower structure) measures 16 mm (0.63 in) to 24 mm (0.94 in) in diameter.

Flower Coloration

Flowers are pale pink, with a white base to the tubular section that connects to the pedicel, and also have purple veins.

Flowering and Fruiting Period

In the species’s native range, its flowering and fruiting growth period runs from February to November.

Fruit Size and Shape

Fruiting produces oblong-ovoid capsules 6 mm (0.24 in) to 9 mm (0.35 in) long, and 4 mm to 5 mm (0.20 in) wide.

Capsule Characteristics

These capsules have woody walls covered in glandular hairs that can grow up to 0.6 mm (0.024 in) long.

Seed Characteristics

The seeds are black and oblong-ovoid, measuring 0.6 mm (0.024 in) to 0.8 mm (0.031 in) long.

Interspecific Hybridization

Hybridization between Antirrhinum species is very common. Morphologically, standard A. controversum plants are very similar to typical A. australe plants, and natural hybridization between the two species makes distinguishing them even more difficult.

Native Range

The native range of Antirrhinum controversum covers southeastern and southern Spain, Portugal, and northern Morocco.

Habitat and Elevation

This species grows preferentially in subtropical biomes, and is found natively at elevations between 20 m (66 ft) and 1,600 m (5,200 ft) above sea level.