Emmenanthe is a monotypic genus which contains only one species, Emmenanthe penduliflora, known by the common name whispering bells. This grassland wildflower is native to California, though it can also be found in other locations within western North America.
Emmenanthe is monotypic genus of annual plants with fleshy foliage which exudes a sticky juice with a light medicinal odor. The plant comes up from a weedy-looking basal rosette of sharply lobed leaves. Inflorescence is a terminal cluster of flowers, borne on slender pedicels less than 1 inch long. Blooms have five sepals and five yellow or pinkish petals in a bell-shaped. Flowers dry and become light and papery. The dry hanging flowers make a rustling sound when a breeze comes through, giving the whispering bells its common name. The dry flower also contains a fruit about a centimeter wide.
This flower is most common in dry, recently burned areas; germination of the seeds may be triggered by the presence of burned plant material. It is a common plant of the chaparral ecosystem, which is prone to wildfire. \\
Whispering Bells or Emmenanthe penduliflora - this beautiful plant is a fire follower and in fact is one the most common plants you may have seen after a fire - Milt's book designates this plant a "dominant" fire follower".
It was known that certain plants were well adapted to fire in the Chaparral biome. Leave it to those scientists who determined that fire was but one component of seed germination. Turns out that Nitrogen dioxide even in tiny amounts causes Whispering Bells to germinate their seeds. This plant does well in Grasslands and in areas where there is a an openings in chaparral. Interestingly Whispering Bells that grow in the desert where fires are scarce are not fire followers - these seeds germinate by having the wind push them across the desert floor. All that bumping and scratching along the desert floor causes cracks which then can allow moisture in to start the germination process.
Whispering Bells is an annual that produces lots of flowers. The plant exudes a sticky liquid with a somewhat pleasant odor - according to Milt's book. The plant comes up from a weedy-looking basal rosette of sharply lobed leaves. The leaves are green, alternate, narrow, and pinnately lobed with saw-toothed edges. The stems and leaves are covered in glandular hairs. It produces long pendulous racemes with small yellow or pink bell-shaped flowers. When the flowers dry they become light and papery. The dry hanging flowers make a rustling sound when a breeze comes through, giving the whispering bells its common name. The dry flower also contains a fruit about a centimeter wide.
Some guides designate this plant as a member of the Boraginaceae family and some Hydrophylloideae (waterleaf) - read more. For my purposes it sufficient to know what the plant looks like and some facts about germination, life cycle and where you might find this plant. The Botanists will figure the taxonomy out right after you purchase that shiny new guide to wildflowers! Personally, being able to identify the plants and flowers I encounter along the trails enriches my experience - it probably does for you as well - it is too bad there are not more people who are as interested.
Emmenanthe is a monotypic genus which contains only one species, Emmenanthe penduliflora, known by the common name whispering bells. This is a grassland wildflower found in the western United States. It is an annual plant with fleshy foliage which exudes a sticky juice with a light medicinal odor. The plant comes up from a weedy-looking basal rosette of sharply lobed leaves. It produces long flower clusters hung with small yellow or pink bell-shaped flowers which dry and become light and papery. The dry hanging flowers make a rustling sound when a breeze comes through, giving the whispering bells its common name. The dry flower also contains a fruit about a centimeter wide. This flower is most common in dry, recently burned areas; germination of the seeds may be triggered by the presence of burned plant material. It is a common plant of the chaparral ecosystem, which is prone to wildfire.