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

field parsley-piert, western lady's-mantle

ladie's mantle, lady's mantle, western lady's mantle, western parsley-piert

Habit Plants slender or relatively robust, densely hairy throughout, hairs, at least some, more than 1 mm. Plants slender, sparsely to densely hairy, hairs less than 1 mm.
Stems

± erect or spreading, usually branched from base, 2–20(–30) cm.

erect or ascending, simple or branched from base, 1–10(–15) cm.

Leaves

6–16 mm;

stipules overlapping, 4–10 mm, divided 1/3–1/2 their length, lobes 8–12, on distal nodes ± triangular, length 1–2(–4) times as long as width;

petiole free from stipules in proximal and distal leaves;

blade 4–10 mm, divided into 3–4 segments, each segment 3–4(–5)-lobed.

3–9 mm;

stipules overlapping only distally, 2–3(–4) mm, lobes on distal nodes ovate, length 2/3–1 times undivided portion;

petiole free from stipules in proximal leaves, adnate in distal ones;

blade 2–5 mm, divided ca. 1/3 length, each segment 4–6-lobed, ovate, length 1.8–3 times width.

Inflorescences

opposing leaves, dense, flowers not completely hidden.

opposing leaves, open, flowers tending to become exposed.

Pedicels

less than 1 mm.

to 2 mm.

Flowers

1.3–1.8 × 0.8–1 mm, 1.5–2.5 mm in fruit;

epicalyx bractlets 0–0.1 mm;

hypanthium ovoid to ellipsoid, contracted at apex, 8-ribbed, spreading-erect hairy in proximal 2/3, glabrescent in distal 1/3;

sepals ± spreading to erect, 0.4–0.7 mm, long-ciliate.

0.5–2 × 0.7–1.1 mm, 1–1.5 mm in fruit;

epicalyx bractlets 0–0.5 mm;

hypanthium ovoid to globose, contracted or not at apex, faintly ribbed;

sepals connivent to spreading, 0.2–0.6 mm, ciliate.

Fruits

(1.6–)1.8–2.3(–2.5) mm.

0.8–1 mm.

2n

= 48.

Aphanes arvensis

Aphanes occidentalis

Phenology Flowering Apr–May. Flowering Mar–Jun.
Habitat Fields, usually on sandy soil, mossy and grassy sites, moist shade, gravelly roadsides, shady, bare patches in lawns, shallow soil pockets on rocky seashores, meadows, hillsides Vernally moist grasslands, chaparral, woodlands, clearings, rocky outcrops, cliffs, sandy beaches, waste ground, roadsides
Elevation 0–150 m (0–500 ft) 0–1200 m (0–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; DE; GA; ID; NJ; OR; WA; BC; NS; Europe; sw Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Chile), Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Three races of Aphanes occidentalis are recognizable, apparently corresponding to previously described species. Some apparently intermediate plants exist, and not all specimens can be confidently assigned to these races, which are, therefore, not recognized as formal taxa here. The names under which they have been recognized and their distinguishing features and distributions are as follows:

Aphanes cuneifolia (Nuttall) Rydberg: hypanthium and calyx ovoid, 1 mm, smooth, often subglabrous; hypanthium contracted at apex, not densely hairy; epicalyx bractlets often present; sepals erect-connivent, 0.3–0.4 mm, 1/4–1/3 flower length. California; Mexico (Baja California).

Aphanes macrosepala Rydberg: hypanthium not contracted at apex, usually densely hairy, hairs spreading; epicalyx bractlets present; sepals spreading-erect, 0.5 mm, ca. 1/3 flower length. California, Oregon, Washington.

Aphanes occidentalis in the narrow sense: hypanthium and calyx ellipsoid, 1.5 mm, ± ribbed, sparsely short-hairy; hypanthium contracted at apex, not densely hairy; epicalyx bractlets usually absent; sepals usually connivent, 0.3–0.4 mm, 1/4–1/3 flower length. British Columbia; California, Oregon, Washington.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 310. FNA vol. 9, p. 311.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Aphanes Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Aphanes
Sibling taxa
A. australis, A. occidentalis
A. arvensis, A. australis
Synonyms Alchemilla arvensis Alchemilla occidentalis
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 123. (1753) (Nuttall) Rydberg: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 380. (1908)
Web links