Manystem Ratany

Description

Calderona is a densely branched shrub found on sunny limestone hillsides in the Rio Grande Plains and Southeast Trans-Pecos into Mexico. Except for older branchlets, the plant is covered with dense, gray hairs, and the older stems are gray, smooth and thorny. The leaves are tiny and appear in clusters along the stems. It flowers in spring with maroon-purple flowers. Ratanies are parasitic on the roots of other plants, depending on them for nutrients, although they do photosynthize. The flowers produce oil instead of nectar, and attract bees with hind legs specialized for scraping it up