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island alumroot, jill-of-the-rocks

Heuchera merriamii

Canyon Creek alumroot, Merriam's alumroot

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

9–30 cm, short or long stipitate-glandular, viscid.

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

Leaves

petiole (7–22 cm), densely long stipitate-glandular;

blade pentagonal to septagonal, deeply 5-lobed, 6.3–17 cm, base deeply cordate, lobes rounded, margins crenate, apex obtuse, surfaces long stipitate-glandular abaxially, glabrous adaxially except long stipitate-glandular near margins, viscid.

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 radially symmetric, free 0.3–1.4 mm, white to pink, hemispheric, 2.5–4.2 mm, densely long stipitate-glandular;

sepals somewhat spreading, green- or red-tipped, equal, 0.7–2 mm, apex rounded or truncate, (medium to long stipitate-glandular);

petals spreading, white, oblong-lanceolate, (clawed), unlobed, 2–4 mm, margins entire;

stamens exserted 0.4–2.5 mm;

styles exserted to 2 mm, 1.5–4 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, 4–8 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

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

Seeds

black, broadly fusiform, 0.4 mm.

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6 mm.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Heuchera maxima

Heuchera merriamii

Phenology Flowering Mar–May. Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Exposed cliffs Exposed granite ledges in subalpine forests
Elevation 0-500 m (0-1600 ft) 1500-2500 m (4900-8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Heuchera maxima is found on the northern Channel Islands (Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa), Santa Barbara County.

Heuchera maxima is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

(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. 93. FNA vol. 8, p. 93.
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. elegans, H. glabra, H. glomerulata, H. grossulariifolia, H. hallii, H. hirsutissima, H. longiflora, 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 Greene: Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2: 149. 1886 , Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 32: 199. 1905 (as merriami),
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