About Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC.
Polanisia dodecandra (L.) DC. is a species of flowering plant in the Cleomaceae family, commonly called redwhisker clammyweed or simply clammyweed. The species includes three recognized subspecies. It is usually an annual plant, and occasionally grows as a perennial. It is native to North America, and occurs across most of Canada and the United States. This plant prefers full sun, mesic to dry conditions, and barren, sandy or gravelly soils; it can even grow in highly disturbed areas that support very little other ground vegetation. It closely resembles its close relative, spider flower (Cleome). The genus name Polanisia comes from the plant's trait of having many long stamens of unequal lengths: the name combines the Greek words polys meaning "many" and anisos meaning "unequal". The specific epithet dodecandra translates to "having 12 stamens". Its common name clammyweed refers to the sticky, clammy residue that remains on hands after handling the plant. Polanisia dodecandra grows 30 to 91 cm (1 to 3 ft) tall. Its vegetation and sap have a noticeable odor described as unpleasant, sulphur-like, strong and rank. Its leaves are around 5.1 cm (2 in) long, and are divided into three palmate leaflets each 2.5 centimetres (1 in) long. Stems are covered in glandular hairs. Numerous flowers are borne in terminal racemes from May to October. Each flower has four white or cream petals around 2.5 cm (1 in) long, and reddish purple stamens that extend far beyond the petals, which is the origin of the "red whisker" portion of its common name. The fruit are long, slender capsules 2.5–5.1 cm (1–2 in) long, holding multiple small reddish brown seeds approximately 2 mm (0.079 in) across. Unlike Cleome seedpods, which project out or down, Polanisia dodecandra seedpods point upward. The three subspecies of Polanisia dodecandra are: Polanisia dodecandra subsp. dodecandra (redwhisker clammyweed), P. dodecandra subsp. riograndensis (Rio Grande clammyweed, found only in Texas), and P. dodecandra subsp. trachysperma (sandyseed clammyweed). This plant is related to capers, and has both culinary and ceremonial uses.
