Phacelia integrifolia Torr. var. integrifolia

This species is common in much of New Mexico in sandy areas. The gypsophilic var. texana is sometimes treated as a separate species and Phacelia integrifolia has been split and re-split into a fairly baffling array of species.

Plant habit on the west side of Tortugas Mountain, Doña Ana County, New Mexico, 2 Apr 2005.

Plant habit at the Bingham Dunes, Socorro County, 12 May 2007.

Inflorescence on the dune on the northeast side of Kilbourne Hole, Doña Ana County, 20 Feb 2005.

A basal rosette on the west side of Tortugas Mountain, 13 Mar 2010.

A dried plant in fall, west side of Tortugas Mountain, 12 Sep 2007.

Plant habit in Cookes Range, north-northeast of Cookes Peak, Luna County, New Mexico, 26 Apr 2014. I am not certain of the identity of this and the following images. N.D. Atwood has stated that Phacelia integrifolia [var. integrifolia] is "restricted to deep sandy soils" (Novon 17(4): 403-416) and this does seem to be the normal habitat in New Mexico. However, there are also populations at higher elevations in montane, very much non-sandy soils (gravelly clay loam, igneous gravel around outcrops, etc.). In addition to Cookes Range, I have seen these plants in the Ladron Mountains and near Salinas Peak. These plants also look "different", but probably not in any way that could be easily quantified... in any case, and as usual in Phacelia, I'm not really sure what's going on.

Plant habit north-northeast of Cookes Peak, 26 Apr 2014.

Plant habit in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014.

Flowers in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014.

More flowers in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014.

And more flowers in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014.

Inflorescence in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014. (Yes, I probably went overboard photographing these plants.)

Basal leaf in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014.

A basal rosette in Cookes Range, 26 Apr 2014.