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Madrean springbeauty, Rocky Mountain Spring beauty, western springbeauty

alpine spring-beauty, fell-fields claytonia

Habit Plants perennial, with globose tubers 20–100 mm; periderm 5–10 mm. Plants perennial, with stout, woody caudices; periderm 5–12 mm.
Stems

2–15 cm.

5–25 cm.

Leaves

basal leaves sometimes absent, petiolate, blade linear to narrowly spatulate, 1–7 × 0.4–2 cm, apex acute to obtuse;

cauline leaves petiolate, blade linear, 2–5 cm, apex acute to obtuse.

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, rarely 1-bracteate;

proximalmost bract leaflike, distal bracts reduced to membranous scales.

multibracteate;

bracts subtending pedicels, apex obtuse.

Flowers

8–14 mm diam.;

sepals 3–5 mm;

petals pink, rose, or magenta, 8–10 mm;

ovules 6.

12–20 mm diam;

sepals 6–8 mm;

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

ovules 6.

Seeds

2–3 mm, shiny and smooth;

elaiosome 1–2 mm.

2–3 mm diam., shiny and smooth;

elaiosome 1 mm or less.

2n

= 16.

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

Claytonia rosea

Claytonia megarhiza

Phenology Flowering Feb–May. Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat Hillsides and mesas of montane ponderosa and Chihuahuan pine and oak belts Talus, scree, gravelly slopes
Elevation 800-2400 m (2600-7900 ft) 2000-4000 m (6600-13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Claytonia rosea is morphologically distinct from C. lanceolata based on early cytological and ecological study of the two species by D. K. Halleck and D. Wiens (1966) and the author’s review of type material.

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

Source FNA vol. 4, p. 472. FNA vol. 4, p. 469.
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. 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. 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. lanceolata var. rosea C. arctica var. megarhiza, C. megarhiza var. bellidifolia, C. megarhiza var. nivalis
Name authority Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 31: 404. (1904) (A. Gray) Parry ex S. Watson: Smithsonian Misc. Collect 258: 118. (1878)
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