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Heuchera merriamii

Canyon Creek alumroot, Merriam's alumroot

Laguna Mountain alumroot, Laguna Mountains alum-root, Mt. Laguna alumroot

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

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

20–30 cm, sparsely long stipitate-glandular.

Leaves

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.

petiole sparsely short to long stipitate-glandular;

blade orbiculate or reniform, shallowly 5-lobed, 1.5–4 cm, base shallowly cordate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex obtuse, surfaces sparsely long stipitate-glandular on veins abaxially, glabrous or long stipitate-glandular adaxially.

Inflorescences

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

Flowers

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.

hypanthium weakly bilaterally symmetric, free 1.5–2.2 mm on adaxial side, deep rose-purple, cylindric, 4–5 mm, short stipitate-glandular proximally, long stipitate-glandular distally;

sepals spreading, green- and darker red-tipped, equal, 1.3–1.4 mm, apex rounded;

petals spreading, white, broadly oblanceolate, unlobed, 4–5 mm (much longer than sepals), margins entire;

stamens included 1 mm;

styles included 1–2 mm, 1.5 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.

Capsules

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

ovoid, 3 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

Seeds

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6 mm.

dark brown, ellipsoid, ca. 0.7 mm.

Inflorescenses

moderately diffuse.

2n

= 14.

Heuchera merriamii

Heuchera brevistaminea

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Exposed granite ledges in subalpine forests Rocky slopes in montane chaparral, yellow pine forests
Elevation 1500-2500 m (4900-8200 ft) 1500-1900 m (4900-6200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Heuchera merriamii is known from the Siskiyou and Trinity mountains.

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

Of conservation concern.

Heuchera brevistaminea occurs in the Laguna Mountains, San Diego County. It closely resembles H. abramsii, H. caespitosa, H. elegans, and H. pulchella.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 93. FNA vol. 8, p. 99.
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. 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
H. abramsii, H. alba, H. americana, H. bracteata, 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 Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 32: 199. 1905 (as merriami), Wiggins: Contr. Dudley Herb. 1: 100, plate 8. 1929 ,
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