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Bigelow sage, Bigelow sagebrush, Bigelow sagewort, Bigelow's sage

sawtooth wormwood, serrate-leaf sage

Habit Shrubs, 20–40(–60) cm (branched from bases, rounded), mildly aromatic; not root-sprouting. Perennials, 50–100(–300) cm (not cespitose), pleasantly aromatic (fibrous-rooted, rhizomes horizontal, relatively short).
Stems

silvery, canescent (bark gray-brown).

2–5, erect, brown, mostly simple (bases woody), sparsely tomentose.

Leaves

persistent, light gray-green;

blades narrowly cuneate, 0.5–3 × 0.2–0.5 cm, entire or 3(–5)-lobed (lobes 1.5–2 mm, less than 1/3 blade lengths, acute), faces silvery canescent.

cauline, bicolor (white and green);

blades lanceolate, 7–15 × 1–2.5 cm, serrate (teeth ca. 2 mm), faces densely tomentose (abaxial) or glabrate (adaxial).

Involucres

globose, 2–3 × 1.5–2.5 mm.

campanulate, 2.5–3 × 2–2.5 mm.

Florets

pistillate 0–2 (raylike, laminae to 1 mm);

bisexual 1–3;

corollas 1–1.5 mm (style branches of ray florets elongate, exsert, epapillate, tips acute; of disc florets, short, truncate, papillate).

pistillate 3–5;

bisexual 9–10;

corollas pale yellow, 1.5–2 mm, sparsely glandular.

Phyllaries

(8–15) ovate, canescent or tomentose.

lanceolate (margins hyaline), densely tomentose.

Heads

(usually nodding) in arrays 6–25 × 1–4 cm (branches erect, somewhat curved).

(peduncles 0 or to 2 mm) in racemiform arrays 10–15 × 5–15 cm.

Cypselae

(ellipsoid, 5-ribbed) 0.8–1 mm, glabrous.

ellipsoid, ca. 1 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 18, 36, 72.

= 36.

Artemisia bigelovii

Artemisia serrata

Phenology Flowering early summer–late fall. Flowering mid summer–early fall.
Habitat Deserts, sandy or alkaline soils, rock outcrops Grasslands and barren areas on high plains
Elevation 1000–2500 m (3300–8200 ft) 500–1800 m (1600–5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; NM; NV; TX; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
IA; IL; MN; ND; NY; WI
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Artemisia bigelovii of the southwestern deserts is easily confused in the field with A. tridentata, even though it is well distinguished ecologically and morphologically. Systematic placement within subg. Tridentatae remains problematic. Presence of “ray” florets (though rare) and vestigial spines on the pollen (R. P. Wodehouse 1935) suggest a relationship with groups ancestral to Tridentatae. The species also has the unusual characteristic of lignified trichomes (L. M. Shultz 1986b). Further research may help to determine proper placement; its affinities may be with members of subg. Artemisia.

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

Artemisia serrata is closely related to A. ludoviciana and A. longifolia; it is distinguished by its prominent, serrated leaf margins. It is apparently native to the upper Mississippi Valley and naturalized in New York, presumably following introduction as a garden plant. Reports from Kansas and Missouri may be based on collections of A. ludoviciana.

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

Source FNA vol. 19, p. 512. FNA vol. 19, p. 532.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae > Artemisia > subg. Tridentatae Asteraceae > tribe Anthemideae > Artemisia > subg. Artemisia
Sibling taxa
A. abrotanum, A. absinthium, A. alaskana, A. aleutica, A. annua, A. arbuscula, A. biennis, A. borealis, A. californica, A. campestris, A. cana, A. carruthii, A. douglasiana, A. dracunculus, A. filifolia, A. franserioides, A. frigida, A. furcata, A. globularia, A. glomerata, A. laciniata, A. longifolia, A. ludoviciana, A. michauxiana, A. nesiotica, A. norvegica, A. nova, A. packardiae, A. palmeri, A. papposa, A. pattersonii, A. pedatifida, A. pontica, A. porteri, A. pycnocephala, A. pygmaea, A. rigida, A. rothrockii, A. rupestris, A. scopulorum, A. senjavinensis, A. serrata, A. spiciformis, A. stelleriana, A. suksdorfii, A. tilesii, A. tridentata, A. tripartita, A. vulgaris
A. abrotanum, A. absinthium, A. alaskana, A. aleutica, A. annua, A. arbuscula, A. biennis, A. bigelovii, A. borealis, A. californica, A. campestris, A. cana, A. carruthii, A. douglasiana, A. dracunculus, A. filifolia, A. franserioides, A. frigida, A. furcata, A. globularia, A. glomerata, A. laciniata, A. longifolia, A. ludoviciana, A. michauxiana, A. nesiotica, A. norvegica, A. nova, A. packardiae, A. palmeri, A. papposa, A. pattersonii, A. pedatifida, A. pontica, A. porteri, A. pycnocephala, A. pygmaea, A. rigida, A. rothrockii, A. rupestris, A. scopulorum, A. senjavinensis, A. spiciformis, A. stelleriana, A. suksdorfii, A. tilesii, A. tridentata, A. tripartita, A. vulgaris
Synonyms A. petrophila, Seriphidium bigelovii A. vulgaris subsp. serrata
Name authority A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 110. (1857) Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 2: 142. (1818)
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