OregonFlora: Balsamorhiza hispidula

	Balsamorhiza hispidula
	hispid balsamroot
Stems	8–25 cm, villous-hirsute; from single taproot.
Leaves	ovate-lanceolate, 1-pinnately divided with pinnae again lobed, often with only a few lobes at tips or divided; margins entire, ciliate; surfaces hispid; basal leaves in 1–few rosettes; blades 5–18 × 3–7.5 cm; pinnae 2–8 mm wide; petioles 2–9 cm; cauline leaves in one opposite pair; blades 1.5–5 × 0.4–2 cm; petioles 1.5–4 cm.
Inflorescences	with 1 terminal head.
Involucres	10–15 × 17–22 mm.
Ray florets	deciduous, 10–13, yellow; rays 20–25 × 5–10 mm.
Disc florets	6–7 mm.
Phyllaries	linear to lanceolate, 14–17 × 2–3 mm, with acuminate or caudate tips, ciliate, villous-hirsute.
Fruits	6–7 mm, glabrous.
Paleae	7–8 mm.

	Balsamorhiza hispidula
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Dry, often rocky, open areas. Flowering Apr–Jun. 800–1700 m. BR, BW, Owy. ID, NV; northeast to MT, east top WY, southeast to AZ. Native. While B. hispidula is quite distinct from B. hookeri throughout most of its range, it intergrades completely with B. hookeri in Oregon. Although the two species have been kept separate in this treatment, most Oregon specimens of B. hispidula show some evidence of gene flow from B. hookeri. Balsamorhiza hispidula also hybridizes with B. sagittata. The specific epithet refers to the pubescence of the plants.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 200 Abigail (Abby) Moore
Sibling taxa	B. careyana, B. deltoidea, B. deltoidea x Balsamorhiza sericea, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. lanata, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
Synonyms	Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hispidula
Web links	Local floras: OR Local Web sites: Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Balsamorhiza hispidula

hispid balsamroot

Stems

8–25 cm, villous-hirsute; from single taproot.

Leaves

ovate-lanceolate, 1-pinnately divided with pinnae again lobed, often with only a few lobes at tips or divided;

margins entire, ciliate;

surfaces hispid;

basal leaves in 1–few rosettes;

blades 5–18 × 3–7.5 cm;

pinnae 2–8 mm wide;

petioles 2–9 cm;

cauline leaves in one opposite pair;

blades 1.5–5 × 0.4–2 cm;

petioles 1.5–4 cm.

Inflorescences

with 1 terminal head.

Involucres

10–15 × 17–22 mm.

Ray florets

deciduous, 10–13, yellow;

rays 20–25 × 5–10 mm.

Disc florets

6–7 mm.

Phyllaries

linear to lanceolate, 14–17 × 2–3 mm, with acuminate or caudate tips, ciliate, villous-hirsute.

Fruits

6–7 mm, glabrous.

Paleae

7–8 mm.

Balsamorhiza hispidula

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Dry, often rocky, open areas. Flowering Apr–Jun. 800–1700 m. BR, BW, Owy. ID, NV; northeast to MT, east top WY, southeast to AZ. Native.

While B. hispidula is quite distinct from B. hookeri throughout most of its range, it intergrades completely with B. hookeri in Oregon. Although the two species have been kept separate in this treatment, most Oregon specimens of B. hispidula show some evidence of gene flow from B. hookeri. Balsamorhiza hispidula also hybridizes with B. sagittata. The specific epithet refers to the pubescence of the plants.