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urn-flower alum-root

white alumroot

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

10–40 cm, sparsely medium stipitate-glandular.

often leafy, 26–77 cm, short stipitate-glandular.

Leaves

petiole long stipitate-glandular;

blade reniform or orbiculate, shallowly 5-lobed, 1.5–3.5 cm, base cordate or truncate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex obtuse, surfaces short or long stipitate-glandular.

petiole glabrous or short stipitate-glandular;

blade broadly ovate to cordate, shallowly 5-lobed, 4.5–9 cm, base cordate or nearly truncate, lobes rounded to widely ovate, margins dentate, apex acute or obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular, at least on veins.

Inflorescences

diffuse.

Flowers

hypanthium strongly bilaterally symmetric, free 3–3.5 mm on adaxial side, pink to purplish, narrowly cylindric or cylindric-urceolate, 4–7 mm, short stipitate-glandular proximally, densely long stipitate-glandular distally;

sepals spreading, green-tipped, unequal, 2 mm on adaxial side of hypanthium, apex obtuse or rounded;

petals spreading, white, broadly oblanceolate, (clawed), unlobed, 3–4 mm (longer than sepals), margins entire;

stamens included 0.5 mm to exserted 0.5 mm;

styles included to 2 mm, 1.5–2 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.

hypanthium moderately bilaterally symmetric, free 3.5–4.5 mm, green, campanulate, abruptly inflated distal to adnation to ovary, 7.5–11 mm, short stipitate-glandular;

sepals spreading, green-tipped, equal, 3–4 mm, apex rounded (sinuses narrower than petals);

petals inflexed, white, broadly spatulate, unlobed, 2.8–3.5 mm, margins fimbriate;

stamens 2 mm included to 2 mm exserted;

styles included 0.5–1 mm, 4–6 mm, to 0.1 mm diam.

Capsules

urceolate, 4–6 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

ovoid, 9–10 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

Seeds

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.7 mm.

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6–1 mm.

Inflorescenses

dense.

Heuchera elegans

Heuchera alba

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Rocky sites in yellow pine and red fir forests Shaded or exposed sandstone rock outcroppings, ridges, and peaks
Elevation 1500-2600 m (4900-8500 ft) 1300-1500 m (4300-4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
from FNA
VA; WV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Heuchera elegans occurs in the mountains of southern California, chiefly in the San Gabriel Range in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties and vicinity. It resembles H. caespitosa. This group is in need of phylogenetic study.

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

Of conservation concern.

Heuchera alba occurs on sandstone ridges in the Ridge and Valley Province.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 100. FNA vol. 8, p. 96.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Heuchera Saxifragaceae > Heuchera
Sibling taxa
H. abramsii, H. alba, H. americana, H. bracteata, H. brevistaminea, H. caespitosa, H. caroliniana, H. chlorantha, H. cylindrica, H. eastwoodiae, 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. 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
Name authority Abrams: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 67. 1902 , Rydberg: Torreya 26: 31, plate 2. (1926)
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