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Abrams' alumroot, San Gabriel alum-root

Heuchera merriamii

Canyon Creek alumroot, Merriam's alumroot

Habit Herbs subcaulescent; caudex branched. Herbs acaulescent; caudex branched or unbranched.
Flowering stems

6–15 cm, short stipitate-glandular.

11–32 cm, long stipitate-glandular or glabrate.

Leaves

petiole glabrous or short stipitate-glandular and scattered medium stipitate-glandular;

blade ovate, deeply 5-lobed, 0.5–2 cm, base truncate or shallowly cordate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex obtuse, surfaces short stipitate-glandular abaxially, sparsely long stipitate-glandular adaxially.

petiole (2.4–5 cm), moderately long stipitate-glandular;

blade orbiculate, reniform, or pentagonal, shallowly 5–7-lobed, 2.5–4.5 cm, base shallowly cordate to truncate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex rounded to obtuse, surfaces finely long stipitate-glandular abaxially, sparsely long stipitate-glandular adaxially.

Inflorescences

dense.

dense; (bracts linear and scarious to 3–5-parted and herbaceous).

Flowers

hypanthium strongly bilaterally symmetric, free 1.5–2 mm on adaxial side, reddish purple, cylindric, 4–5 mm, short stipitate-glandular proximally, medium stipitate-glandular distally;

sepals spreading, green-tipped, unequal, 1.2–1.5 mm, apex obtuse or rounded;

petals spreading, white, spatulate or oblanceolate, rarely linear, unlobed, 1.5–2.5 mm (equaling or longer than sepals), margins entire;

stamens barely included to 1.5 mm exserted;

styles exserted 1.5–2 mm, 2.5–3 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.

hypanthium radially symmetric, free 0.5–1.5 mm, pink, hemispheric, 3–5.5 mm, (base rounded), densely long stipitate-glandular;

sepals erect, green- or red-tipped, equal, 1–2 mm (often wider than long), apex obtuse;

petals erect, white, oblanceolate, (clawed), unlobed, 2–3.5 mm, margins entire;

stamens exserted 0.8–2 mm;

styles exserted 1–2 mm, 1.5–2.5 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.

Capsules

ovoid, 3.5–5 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

ovoid, 3–5 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

Seeds

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6 mm.

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6 mm.

2n

= 14.

Heuchera abramsii

Heuchera merriamii

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Rocky soil in red fir forest Exposed granite ledges in subalpine forests
Elevation 2800-3100 m (9200-10200 ft) 1500-2500 m (4900-8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Heuchera abramsii occurs in the San Antonio Mountains and the eastern part of the San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties. It closely resembles H. brevistaminea, H. caespitosa, H. elegans, and H. pulchella.

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

Heuchera merriamii is known from the Siskiyou and Trinity mountains.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 99. FNA vol. 8, p. 93.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Heuchera Saxifragaceae > Heuchera
Sibling taxa
H. alba, H. americana, H. bracteata, H. brevistaminea, H. caespitosa, H. caroliniana, H. chlorantha, H. cylindrica, H. eastwoodiae, H. elegans, H. glabra, H. glomerulata, H. grossulariifolia, H. hallii, H. hirsutissima, H. longiflora, H. maxima, H. merriamii, H. micrantha, H. novamexicana, H. parishii, H. parviflora, H. parvifolia, H. pilosissima, H. pubescens, H. pulchella, H. richardsonii, H. rubescens, H. sanguinea, H. villosa, H. wootonii
H. abramsii, H. alba, H. americana, H. bracteata, H. brevistaminea, H. caespitosa, H. caroliniana, H. chlorantha, H. cylindrica, H. eastwoodiae, H. elegans, H. glabra, H. glomerulata, H. grossulariifolia, H. hallii, H. hirsutissima, H. longiflora, H. maxima, H. micrantha, H. novamexicana, H. parishii, H. parviflora, H. parvifolia, H. pilosissima, H. pubescens, H. pulchella, H. richardsonii, H. rubescens, H. sanguinea, H. villosa, H. wootonii
Name authority Rydberg: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 109. 1905 , Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 32: 199. 1905 (as merriami),
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