Flora of North America species comparison

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Balsamorhiza hispidula

Balsamorhiza careyana

hairy balsamroot, hispid balsamroot

Carey's balsamroot
Habit Plants 6–40 cm. Plants (15–)20–60 cm.
Leaves

blades bright green, narrowly lance-elliptic to lanceolate, (6–)15–25(–40) × (3–)5–9+ cm (1–2-pinnatifid, primary lobes lanceolate to oblanceolate, 10–45 × 2–15 mm, secondary lobes usually divergent, antrorse), bases ± cuneate, ultimate margins usually entire (± revolute and/or thickened, often ciliate), apices acute to attenuate, faces ± hispidulous to hirtellous (gland-dotted as well; veins ± scabrous).

Basal leaves

blades green, rounded-deltate or deltate to triangular-deltate, 15–25 × 6–15 cm, bases cordate or hastate to truncate, margins usually entire, sometimes crenate (to dentate near bases), apices acute to attenuate, faces finely hispidulous to hirtellous (gland-dotted as well).
Involucres

campanulate to hemispheric 10–25 mm diam.

hemispheric to turbinate or campanulate, 12–20 mm diam.
Ray laminae

15–40 mm (abaxially glabrous).

20–30(–40) mm (cypselae strigose or glabrous).
Outer phyllaries

lanceolate to linear, 12–20 mm, not surpassing inner, apices acute to attenuate (margins often ciliate).

oblong to lanceolate or linear, 15–25 mm, usually surpassing inner, apices acute to attenuate.
Heads

borne singly.

usually (2–)3+, sometimes borne singly.
2n

= 38.

Balsamorhiza hispidula

Balsamorhiza careyana
Phenology Flowering Apr–May. Flowering (Mar–)May–Jun(–Jul).
Habitat Basalt scablands and desert-steppe areas, juniper and sagebrush scrublands Dry scablands, semi-desert soils, openings in pine forests
Elevation 1800–2500 m (5900–8200 ft) 500–1000 m (1600–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Distribution of Balsamorhiza hispidula is highly disrupted in the southern part of its range.

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

Hybrids involving Balsamorhiza careyana and B. deltoidea occur near the Columbia River Gorge; intermediates are found to the east and south. In northern Oregon, plants in some populations have glabrous cypselae and some populations are mixed. The hairiness may come from B. rosea; B. rosea and B. careyana may hybridize profusely, producing mostly plants with the stature of B. careyana and with the relatively short, brick-red ray corollas of B. rosea. Hybridization also occurs, occasionally, between B. careyana and B. sagittata; B. careyana also hybridizes with any species of sect. Balsamorhiza with which it comes in contact. Plants called Balsamorhiza careyana var. intermedia usually have crenate leaf margins and glabrous cypselae.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 98. FNA vol. 21, p. 95.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Ecliptinae > Balsamorhiza > subg. Balsamorhiza Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Ecliptinae > Balsamorhiza > subg. Artorhiza
Sibling taxa
B. careyana, B. deltoidea, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. lanata, B. macrolepis, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
B. deltoidea, B. hispidula, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. lanata, B. macrolepis, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
Synonyms B. hookeri var. hispidula B. careyana var. intermedia
Name authority W. M. Sharp: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 22: 137, fig. 3, plate 5. (1935) A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 81. (1849)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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