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Mill Creek alum-root, Parish's alumroot

mountain alumroot, pink alum-root, wild coral bells

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

8–40 cm, long stipitate-glandular, viscid.

(6–)10–32(–50) cm, short stipitate-glandular.

Leaves

petiole densely long stipitate-glandular;

blade broadly ovate or reniform, deeply 5-lobed, 2–4 cm, base cordate or truncate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex obtuse, surfaces long stipitate-glandular, viscid.

petiole glabrous or short to long stipitate-glandular;

blade suborbiculate or broadly ovate, shallowly 3–7-lobed, 0.6–4.5 cm, base cordate or truncate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex acute or acuminate, surfaces glabrous or long stipitate-glandular on veins abaxially, glabrous or short stipitate-glandular adaxially.

Inflorescences

dense, (secund).

dense, diffuse in fruit, (often secund).

Flowers

hypanthium strongly bilaterally symmetric, free 0.8 mm on abaxial side, 1.2–2 mm on adaxial side, weakly inflated, pink to reddish, narrowly campanulate, 3.5–6 mm, short stipitate-glandular proximally, long stipitate-glandular distally;

sepals erect, green-tipped, unequal, 0.5–1 mm on abaxial side, 1.5–2 mm on adaxial side, apex rounded;

petals spreading, pink, narrowly oblanceolate, unlobed, (unequal, shorter on abaxial side, resembling filaments), 2–3 mm (equaling or longer than sepals), margins entire;

stamens exserted 1.5 mm;

styles exserted 0.5–1.5 mm, 1.5–2.5 mm, 0.1+ mm diam.

hypanthium slightly bilaterally symmetric, free 0.5–2 mm, longer on adaxial side, pink to rose, narrowly campanulate with obconic base, becoming urceolate, 3–6.5 mm, short stipitate-glandular proximally, long stipitate-glandular distally;

sepals erect, often green- or red-tipped, equal or unequal (longer on abaxial side of hypanthium), 1–3.3 mm, apex obtuse or rounded;

petals spreading, pink, linear or narrowly oblanceolate, (clawed, ± equal), unlobed, 2–3(–6) mm (equaling or longer than sepals, rarely shorter), margins entire;

stamens exserted 0.8–3 mm;

styles exserted 0.5–2 mm, 1.5–2.5 mm, to 0.1 mm diam.

Capsules

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

urceolate, 3–6 mm;

beaks divergent, papillose or not.

Seeds

black, fusiform, rounded at 1 end, acute at other, ca. 0.9 mm.

dark brown, fusiform, 0.5–0.9 mm.

2n

= 14, 28.

Heuchera parishii

Heuchera rubescens

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug. Flowering Apr–Sep.
Habitat Shaded rocky places in yellow pine and red fir forest Cracks and ledges in shaded rocky cliffs and outcrops
Elevation 1500-3800 m (4900-12500 ft) 900-3700 m (3000-12100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; NM; NV; OR; TX; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Heuchera parishii occurs in the San Bernardino Mountains.

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

Heuchera rubescens occurs throughout most of the Intermountain Region except the Uinta Mountains and basin in Utah.

This complex has always been extremely difficult taxonomically. Almost every minor variant in such characters as the level of insertion of stamens in relation to petals, the shape and length of hypanthium and petals, the size, hairiness, and shape of leaf blades, and the length of petioles has been given a name and recognized at various taxonomic ranks, often without correlation to any pattern of geographical distribution. We agree with P. K. Holmgren and N. H. Holmgren (1997) that, pending a thorough phylogenetic study, it seems best to recognize a single polymorphic species without infraspecific taxa.

The Gosiute Indians used a decoction of roots of Heuchera rubescens as an astringent on the skin and gave it to babies with colic. The Paiute used an infusion of roots as an eyewash and took a decoction of roots for venereal disease. The Shoshoni took an infusion of the roots for diarrhea and liver trouble or biliousness; they used a decoction of the roots for high fever, heart trouble, venereal disease, and general debility. They also used mashed, boiled leaves as a wash for horses’ saddle sores and gave soaked roots to horses and cows for cramps (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 98. FNA vol. 8, p. 97.
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. merriamii, H. micrantha, H. novamexicana, 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. sanguinea, H. villosa, H. wootonii
Synonyms H. alpestris H. leptomeria, H. leptomeria var. peninsularis, H. pringlei, H. rubescens var. alpicola, H. rubescens var. glandulosa, H. rubescens var. oregonensis, H. rubescens var. pachypoda, H. rubescens var. rydbergiana, H. rubescens var. truncata, H. rubescens var. versicolor, H. versicolor, H. versicolor var. leptomeria
Name authority Rydberg: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 109. (1905) Torrey: in H. Stansbury, Exped. Great Salt Lake, 388, plate 5. (1852)
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