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

alpine springbeauty

broad leaf springbeauty, cordate-leaf spring beauty, heart-leaf spring-beauty

Habit Plants perennial, with stout, woody caudices; periderm 5–12 mm. Plants perennial, rhizomatous; rhizomes 4–8 mm diam.; periderm absent.
Stems

5–25 cm.

5–30 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.

basal leaves petiolate, blade ovate to deltate or cordate, 2–7 × 1–5 cm;

cauline leaves sessile, blade ovate, 1–4 cm.

Inflorescences

multibracteate;

bracts subtending pedicels, apex obtuse.

ebracteate.

Flowers

12–20 mm diam;

sepals 6–8 mm;

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

ovules 6.

10–15 mm diam.;

sepals 4–8 mm;

petals white, 8–12 mm;

ovules 6.

Seeds

2–3 mm diam., shiny and smooth;

elaiosome 1 mm or less.

(1–)6, 1–2 mm diam., shiny and smooth;

elaiosome 1 mm or less.

2n

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

= 10, 20.

Claytonia megarhiza

Claytonia cordifolia

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat Talus, scree, gravelly slopes Meadows, seeps
Elevation 2000-4000 m (6600-13100 ft) 500-2000 m (1600-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 4, p. 469. FNA vol. 4.
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Claytonia Portulacaceae > Claytonia
Sibling taxa
C. acutifolia, C. arctica, C. arenicola, C. caroliniana, C. cordifolia, C. exigua, C. gypsophiloides, C. lanceolata, C. megarhiza, 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
C. acutifolia, C. arctica, C. arenicola, C. caroliniana, C. exigua, C. gypsophiloides, C. lanceolata, C. megarhiza, 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 C. sibirica var. cordifolia, Montia cordifolia
Name authority (A. Gray) Parry ex S. Watson: Smithsonian Misc. Collect 258: 118. (1878) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 365. (1882)
Web links