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Carey's balsamroot

Stems

forming clumps, 23–62 cm, green, sparsely villous-hirsute; more densely so below heads.

Leaves

simple;

margins entire to slightly crenate;

surfaces hirsutulous to hirsute;

basal leaves in multiple rosettes;

blades deltate, 7–30 × 4.7–16 cm, bases cordate to hastate;

petioles 7.5–36 cm;

cauline proximal pair generally opposite, lanceolate;

distal alternate;

blades tapering at both ends, 2.5–8.2 × 0.4–2.8 cm;

petioles 0–7.5 cm.

Inflorescences

with 1 larger; terminal head and 1–6 smaller; axillary heads;

peduncles 0–20.5 cm.

Involucres

terminal 9–15 × 15–25 mm; axillary 9–13 × 6–12 mm.

Ray florets

8–20 on large heads, 5–9 on small heads, yellow, persistent after drying;

rays 18–26 × 5–11 mm.

Disc florets

6.5–8.5 mm.

Phyllaries

ovate-lanceolate, 8–34 × 4–7 mm; outer often tapered to caudate or with acuminate tips, villous to tomentose.

Fruits

5.5–7.5 × 2–2.5 mm, generally strigillose, sometimes glabrous.

Paleae

11–13 mm.

2n

=38.

Balsamorhiza careyana

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Open areas, open pine woodlands. Flowering Apr–Jul. 0–1300 m. BW, Casc, Col, ECas, Lava. WA. Native.

Balsamorhiza careyana usually grows east of the Cascades but intergrades broadly with B. deltoidea in the Cascades and along the Columbia River. Pure B. careyana is easily distinguished by a combination of strigillose fruit, ray florets that are persistent after drying, and generally more heads per stem than B. deltoidea. Cascade specimens can be difficult to determine and have been separated as B. careyana var. intermedia in other treatments. The two species should perhaps be considered varieties of the same species.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 199
Abigail (Abby) Moore
Sibling taxa
B. deltoidea, B. deltoidea x Balsamorhiza sericea, B. hispidula, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. lanata, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
Synonyms Balsamorhiza careyana var. careyana, Balsamorhiza careyana var. intermedia
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