Chrysopsis gossyina

Chrysopsis gossyina (Michx.) Ell. is an allopolyploid species with x₂=9; 2n=18.  The karyotype shows x=4 and x=5 chromosomes combined into a new species (Semple and Chinnappa 1980a, 1980b).  The species is highly variable in growth form, leaf hairiness, and gland traits due to fixation of only some of the parental traits in different populations.  Ssp. cruisiana has leaf and fruit traits similar to C. linearifolia, while some populations of ssp. gossypina have leaf and fruit traits similar to the x=4 parent.  Ssp. hyssopifolia has fruit traits like C. linearifolia, but leaves more like some forms of S. mariana. Within ssp. gossypina many different combinations of traits have emerged.  The C. gossypina complex is truly complex morphologically (Semple 1981, 2006).  See Semple (2006 FNA).

• ssp. cruiseana (Dress) Semple
• ssp. gossypina
  • f. gossypina
  • f. decumbens (Chapman) Godfrey
  • f. trichophylla (Nutt.) Semple
• ssp. hyssopifolia (Nutt.) Semple