Coulter’s wild balsam apple Coulter’s wild balsam apple

Elaterium coulteri A. Gray, Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 5(6): 61. 1853; Echinopepon confusus Rose

Stems 0.5–4 m, sparsely short-villous, hairs eglandular. Leaf blades mostly orbiculate, deeply to shallowly lobed, 4–5(–7) cm wide, base broadly cordate, margins entire or slightly sinuate-denticulate, surfaces sparsely hispid abaxially, hispid especially on veins adaxially. Inflorescences: staminate flowers in simple racemes 5–14(–20) cm. Flowers: sepals linear to subulate; petals oblong to deltate, 4–6 mm, apex emarginate, surfaces glabrous or sparsely pubescent, eglandular, not punctate, corolla campanulate, 8–12 mm diam.; anther thecae recurved. Capsules 2–3 × 1.2 cm, surface and prickles eglandular-pubescent, beak 5–8 mm, prickles mostly 3–5 mm. Seeds with elliptical depression on each surface.

Flowering Aug–Sep. Rocky slopes, washes; 1500–2200 m; N.Mex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, s to Oaxaca).

Echinopepon coulteri is known in the flora area from Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Sierra, and Socorro counties (as cited by K. M. Stocking 1955, from vouchers at CAS, GH, POM, and US).