Flora of North America species comparison

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Balsamorhiza macrophylla

Balsamorhiza lanata

cutleaf balsamroot, Idaho balsamroot, large-leaf balsamroot

lanate balsamroot, woolly balsamroot, Yreka balsamroot
Habit Plants 30–45(–100) cm. Plants 10–20(–30) cm.
Basal leaves

green, ovate to lanceolate, 20–50+ × 8–15 cm (pinnatifid, lobes lanceolate, 20–80+ × 10–40 mm, entire or ± dentate), bases ± cuneate, ultimate margins usually entire (plane or weakly revolute, ciliate), apices obtuse to acute, faces scabrous or piloso-hirtellous to pilose (at least abaxial usually gland-dotted as well).

blades white to grayish, lanceolate to linear-oblong, 10–20 × 3–6(–8) cm (1–2-pinnatifid, primary lobes lance-linear to oblong, mostly 5–40 × 1–10 mm, secondary lobes or teeth antrorse, divergent), bases cuneate to truncate, ultimate margins mostly entire (± revolute), apices rounded to acute, faces densely lanate-tomentose to villous.
Involucres

± hemispheric, 20–30 mm diam.

± hemispheric, 12–20 mm diam.
Ray laminae

35–50+ mm.

(10–)15–20 mm (abaxially puberulent or glabrous).
Outer phyllaries

lance-ovate or lanceolate to lance-linear, 12–30(–40) mm, equaling or surpassing inner (margins ciliate), apices acute to attenuate.

lanceolate to linear, 10–20 mm, sometimes surpassing inner, apices acute to attenuate.
Heads

usually borne singly.

borne singly.
2n

= 100 ± 2.

Balsamorhiza macrophylla

Balsamorhiza lanata
Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Apr–May(–Jun).
Habitat Deep soils, rocky meadows, sagebrush scrublands, conifer forests Roadsides, grassy slopes
Elevation 1000–2400 m (3300–7900 ft) 700–1500 m (2300–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Balsamorhiza macrophylla is a high polyploid; it occurs sympatrically with B. sagittata. It evidently arose from hybridization between B. sagittata and B. hispidula. Balsamorhiza macrophylla has the multi-branched caudices and massive taproots of the former, and the leaf dissection of the latter. No hybrids with other species are known. Presumably, the high-polyploid chromosome complement precludes interbreeding. Plants of var. idahoensis are smaller, are known only from southwestern Idaho and northeastern Utah, and differ from var. macrophylla by being pilose, with strongly shaggy-pilose involucres. More study may determine that var. idahoensis merits specific rank. The Utah populations are not well understood and deserve attention.

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

Of conservation concern.

Balsamorhiza lanata is known from a relatively restricted area in northern California and southern Oregon. No hybrids between it and other species have been noted.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 98. FNA vol. 21, p. 97.
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. hispidula, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. lanata, B. macrolepis, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
B. careyana, B. deltoidea, B. hispidula, B. hookeri, B. incana, B. macrolepis, B. macrophylla, B. rosea, B. sagittata, B. sericea, B. serrata
Synonyms B. hookeri var. idahoensis, B. macrophylla var. idahoensis B. hookeri var. lanata
Name authority Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 350. (1840) (W. M. Sharp) W. A. Weber: Phytologia 85: 20. (1999)
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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