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

silky balsamroot, silvery balsamroot

Stems

6–38 cm, sericeous; from single taproot.

Leaves

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.

Involucres

12–15 × 15–22 mm.

Ray florets

13–14, yellow;

rays 12–20 × 5–8 mm.

Disc florets

~9 mm.

Phyllaries

ovate, 10–17 × 5–9 mm;

tips acuminate, sericeous.

Fruits

6–7 × 1.5 mm, glabrous.

Paleae

13–14 mm.

Balsamorhiza sericea

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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 201
Abigail (Abby) Moore
Sibling taxa
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 macrolepis, Balsamorhiza macrolepis var. platylepis, Balsamorhiza platylepis
Web links