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Lewisia rediviva

bitterroot

three leaf bitterroot, three leaf lewisia

Habit Succulent perennial from a shallow, ovoid, tuberous root 3-9 mm. long and nearly as thick, the flowering stems 1-several, 3-10 cm. long, filiform below ground.
Leaves

Basal leaves narrowly linear, up to 5 cm. long, lacking on flowering plants;

cauline leaves 2-3, whorled, attached just above ground level, linear, 1-4.5 cm. long.

Flowers

Flowers 2-25 in a bracteate, simple or compound, panicle-like inflorescence, each flower often with bracts similar to the calyx and immediately subtending it;

pedicels 5-15 mm. long;

sepals 2, oval, rounded, 2-3 mm. long;

petals 5-9, white with pink venation or pinkish, 4-7 mm. long;

stamens usually 5;

style short, with 3-5 elongate stigmas.

Fruits

Capsule about equal to the sepals.

Lewisia rediviva

Lewisia triphylla

Flowering time April-June May-August
Habitat Open gravelly and rocky areas from sagebrush plains to moderate elevations in the mountains. Open, usually sandy areas where vernally moist, ponderosa pine forests to subalpine meadows.
Distribution
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Montana and south in the Rocky Mountains.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Not of concern Not of concern
Sibling taxa
L. columbiana, L. cotyledon, L. nevadensis, L. pygmaea, L. triphylla
L. columbiana, L. cotyledon, L. nevadensis, L. pygmaea, L. rediviva
Subordinate taxa
L. rediviva var. rediviva
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