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Heuchera merriamii

Canyon Creek alumroot, Merriam's alumroot

coralbells

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

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

20–40 cm, short and sometimes 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 long stipitate-glandular;

blade reniform to orbiculate, shallowly 5–7-lobed, 2–5.5 cm, base cordate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces long stipitate-glandular on veins abaxially, glabrous or sparsely long stipitate-glandular adaxially.

Inflorescences

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

moderately dense to diffuse.

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 to radially symmetric, free 2.5–2.8 mm, dark pink to red, broadly campanulate or urceolate, 4–8 mm, short stipitate-glandular proximally, sparsely long stipitate-glandular distally;

sepals spreading, darker red-tipped, equal, 2–3 mm, apex oblong or rounded;

petals spreading, pink or cream, narrowly oblanceolate, unlobed, 1.2–1.8 mm (shorter than sepals), margins entire;

stamens included 1.5–3 mm;

styles included 1.5–3 mm, 1.5–2 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.

Capsules

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

ovoid, 4.5–6 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

Seeds

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6 mm.

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.5–0.6 mm, bluntly spiny.

2n

= 14.

Heuchera merriamii

Heuchera sanguinea

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Mar–Oct.
Habitat Exposed granite ledges in subalpine forests Moist, shaded rocks
Elevation 1500-2500 m (4900-8200 ft) 1200-2600 m (3900-8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Heuchera merriamii is known from the Siskiyou and Trinity mountains.

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

Heuchera sanguinea occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Chihuahua, Mexico, and is widely cultivated throughout the cooler parts of North America.

Heuchera sanguinea varies considerably within populations in shape, lobing, and size of leaves, in amount of hairs, and in shape, form, and color of flowers. Rydberg recognized var. pulchra as characterized by denser inflorescences and longer hairs on its pedicels, inferior part of the ovary, and sepals. Mixed populations with individuals bearing longer and shorter hairs can be found throughout the range of the species, especially in Arizona. It seems best to recognize H. sanguinea as a variable species without infraspecific taxa.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 93. FNA vol. 8, p. 100.
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. 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. villosa, H. wootonii
Synonyms H. sanguinea var. pulchra
Name authority Eastwood: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 32: 199. 1905 (as merriami), Engelmann: in F. A. Wislizenus, Mem. Tour N. Mexico, 107. 1848 ,
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