The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

hispid balsamroot

silky balsamroot, silvery balsamroot

Stems

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

6–38 cm, sericeous; 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.

ovate-lanceolate, 1-pinnately divided almost or entirely to midribs, often more deeply divided proximally than distally;

margins entire or few-toothed, occasionally some lower leaves serrate on lower margins;

surfaces sericeous; more densely so abaxially than adaxially;

basal leaves in 1–few rosettes;

blades 3–18 × 1–7 cm;

pinnae 6–16 mm wide;

petioles 3–17 cm;

cauline leaves in 1 pair; opposite, reduced;

blades 2.5–4 × 1–1.6 cm;

petioles 2.5–4 cm.

Inflorescences

with 1 terminal head.

with 1 terminal head.

Involucres

10–15 × 17–22 mm.

12–15 × 15–22 mm.

Ray florets

deciduous, 10–13, yellow;

rays 20–25 × 5–10 mm.

13–14, yellow;

rays 12–20 × 5–8 mm.

Disc florets

6–7 mm.

~9 mm.

Phyllaries

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

ovate, 10–17 × 5–9 mm;

tips acuminate, sericeous.

Fruits

6–7 mm, glabrous.

6–7 × 1.5 mm, glabrous.

Paleae

7–8 mm.

13–14 mm.

Balsamorhiza hispidula

Balsamorhiza sericea

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[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.

Serpentine. Flowering Apr–May. 400–600 m. Sisk. CA. Native.

Balsamorhiza sericea is endemic to serpentine-influenced soils and is thus far known only from Josephine County, Oregon, and adjacent Siskiyou and Trinity counties, California. The specific epithet “sericea” refers to the pubescence.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 200
Abigail (Abby) Moore
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 201
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
B. careyana, B. deltoidea, B. deltoidea x Balsamorhiza sericea, B. hispidula, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. lanata, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. serrata
Synonyms Balsamorhiza hookeri var. hispidula Balsamorhiza macrolepis, Balsamorhiza macrolepis var. platylepis, Balsamorhiza platylepis
Web links