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alpine spring-beauty, fell-fields claytonia

Habit Plants perennial, with stout, woody caudices; periderm 5–12 mm.
Stems

5–25 cm.

Leaves

basal leaves sessile, dilated at base into broad, succulent sheath, blade rhombic to oblanceolate, 2–10 × 0.4–2.8 cm, apex obtuse;

cauline leaves sessile, blade oblanceolate, 2–10 × 2–5 mm.

Inflorescences

multibracteate;

bracts subtending pedicels, apex obtuse.

Flowers

12–20 mm diam;

sepals 6–8 mm;

petals white, pink, or rose, 5–20 × 3–8 mm;

ovules 6.

Seeds

2–3 mm diam., shiny and smooth;

elaiosome 1 mm or less.

2n

= 12, 16, 24, 32, 34, 36.

Claytonia megarhiza

Phenology Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Talus, scree, gravelly slopes
Elevation 2000-4000 m [6600-13100 ft]
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Claytonia
Sibling taxa
C. acutifolia, C. arctica, C. arenicola, C. caroliniana, C. cordifolia, C. exigua, C. gypsophiloides, C. lanceolata, C. multiscapa, C. nevadensis, C. ogilviensis, C. palustris, C. parviflora, C. perfoliata, C. rosea, C. rubra, C. sarmentosa, C. saxosa, C. scammaniana, C. sibirica, C. tuberosa, C. umbellata, C. virginica, C. washingtoniana
Synonyms C. arctica var. megarhiza, C. megarhiza var. bellidifolia, C. megarhiza var. nivalis
Name authority (A. Gray) Parry ex S. Watson: Smithsonian Misc. Collect 258: 118. (1878)
Source FNA vol. 4, p. 469. Treatment author: John M. Miller.
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