Lepechinia ganderi Epling

Growth Form

Lepechinia ganderi is a short aromatic shrub with slender branches covered in rough hairs and resin glands.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves are lanceolate (lance-shaped) and may have serrate (toothed) edges.

Inflorescence Structure

Its raceme inflorescence produces flowers on 1 to 2 cm long pedicels.

Flower Morphology

Each flower has a base of long, pointed sepals beneath a white to light lavender tubular corolla, with a lipped mouth opening.

Fruit Development

After the corolla falls away, a small, dark, hairless fruit develops attached to the sepals.

Pollinators

The flowers of this species are pollinated by bees and hummingbirds.

Distribution Range

This species is a near-endemic to southern San Diego County, California, and the adjacent border region of Baja California.

Population Status

It has around 20 known occurrences in the United States, many on federal land, while its Mexican populations have not been well studied.

Geographic Occurrences

It grows across the coastal Peninsular Range foothills and mountains within this range, including Otay Mountain and the Jamul Mountains.

Substrate Preference

It typically grows on rocky, metavolcanic gabbroic substrates.

Habitat and Elevation

It can be found in habitats from coastal sage scrub and chaparral to closed-cone coniferous forest (such as Tecate cypress groves) and grasslands, at elevations between 500 and 1060 meters.