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littleflower alumroot

cave alumroot, little-flower alum-root

Habit Herbs acaulescent; caudex branched or unbranched.
Flowering stems

9–45 cm, short to long stipitate-glandular, viscid.

Leaves

petiole sparsely to densely long stipitate-glandular;

blade surfaces sparsely to densely long stipitate-glandular abaxially, sparsely short stipitate-glandular adaxially, hairs 0.7–2.5 mm.

petiole usually long stipitate-glandular, sometimes short stipitate-glandular;

blade (often purple abaxially), reniform to orbiculate, shallowly 5–7-lobed, 3–13 cm, base cordate, lobes rounded, margins crenate, apex obtuse, surfaces short or long stipitate-glandular abaxially, short stipitate-glandular adaxially, viscid.

Inflorescences

diffuse.

Flowers

hypanthium radially symmetric, free to 0.3 mm, white or pink, obconic, 1.2–3.2 mm, short or moderately long stipitate-glandular;

sepals erect, green-tipped, equal, 0.5–1.3 mm, apex rounded;

petals reflexed, white or pink, narrowly oblanceolate, unlobed, 1.5–3.5 mm, margins entire;

stamens exserted 1.2–3.2 mm;

styles exserted 1–3 mm, 1.5–4 mm, to 0.1 mm diam.

Capsules

ovoid, 2–5.7 mm, (minutely stipitate-glandular or glabrous), beaks divergent, not papillose.

Seeds

dark brown, ovoid, 0.4–0.6 mm, smooth.

Hypanthia

densely long stipitate-glandular.

2n

= 14.

Heuchera parviflora var. parviflora

Heuchera parviflora

Phenology Flowering Jul–Sep.
Habitat Shaded or north-facing sandstone or limestone ledges or rock undercuts
Elevation 300-800 m (1000-2600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; IL; IN; KY; MO; MS; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; IL; IN; KY; MO; MS; NC; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Variety parviflora is sparsely to densely long stipitate-glandular on petioles, peduncles, and abaxial leaf surfaces. It is the more widespread variety in the species, occupying a large area in the southern Appalachian Mountains and Interior Plateau east of the Mississippi River and in Missouri.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The specific epithet, parviflora, is similar to that of another species, Heuchera parvifolia, but these two species are distinct and have different legitimate names. The varieties of H. parviflora are not sympatric. The species merits phylogenetic study. The Blackfoot Indians applied a poultice of the pounded root to sores and swellings (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Key
1. Petioles and hypanthia sparsely to densely long stipitate-glandular; leaf blades sparsely to densely long stipitate-glandular abaxially, hairs 0.7- 2.5 mm.
var. parviflora
1. Petioles and hypanthia densely short stipitate- glandular; leaf blades densely short stipitate-glandular abaxially, hairs to 0.6 mm.
var. puberula
Source FNA vol. 8, p. 90. FNA vol. 8, p. 90.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Heuchera > Heuchera parviflora Saxifragaceae > Heuchera
Sibling taxa
H. parviflora var. puberula
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. parvifolia, H. pilosissima, H. pubescens, H. pulchella, H. richardsonii, H. rubescens, H. sanguinea, H. villosa, H. wootonii
Subordinate taxa
H. parviflora var. parviflora, H. parviflora var. puberula
Synonyms H. missouriensis, H. parviflora var. rugelii
Name authority unknown Bartling: Index Seminum (Göttingen) 1838: 4. 1838 ,
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