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

hairy balsamroot, hispid balsamroot

hoary balsamroot, woolly balsamroot

Habit Plants 6–40 cm. Plants 20–35(–70) 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 white to grayish, lance-ovate to oblong, 10–45 × 3–7(–10) cm (1-pinnatifid, lobes ovate to lanceolate, 20–50 × 5–25 mm), bases broadly cuneate to truncate, margins entire or serrate (plane, not distinctly ciliate), apices obtuse, faces usually densely, sometimes sparsely, tomentose.

Involucres

campanulate to hemispheric 10–25 mm diam.

hemispheric, 20–25(–30) mm.

Ray laminae

15–40 mm (abaxially glabrous).

20–40(–50+) mm.

Outer phyllaries

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

ovate to lanceolate or linear, 15–20 mm, shorter than inner, apices acute to attenuate (margins ± ciliate).

Heads

borne singly.

usually borne singly.

2n

= 38.

Balsamorhiza hispidula

Balsamorhiza incana

Phenology Flowering Apr–May. Flowering May–Jun(–Jul).
Habitat Basalt scablands and desert-steppe areas, juniper and sagebrush scrublands Grassy meadows, dry, rocky sites, openings in conifer forests
Elevation 1800–2500 m (5900–8200 ft) 1200–2800 m (3900–9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; WA; WY
[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.)

Balsamorhiza incana hybridizes with B. sagittata.

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

Source FNA vol. 21, p. 98. FNA vol. 21, p. 96.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Ecliptinae > Balsamorhiza > subg. Balsamorhiza Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Ecliptinae > Balsamorhiza > subg. Balsamorhiza
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. careyana, B. deltoidea, B. hispidula, B. hookeri, B. lanata, B. macrolepis, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
Synonyms B. hookeri var. hispidula
Name authority W. M. Sharp: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 22: 137, fig. 3, plate 5. (1935) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 350. (1840)
Web links