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Richardson's alum-root

long-flower alum-root

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

(7–)20–95 cm, densely long stipitate-glandular.

often leafy, 30–95 cm, glabrous or short stipitate-glandular.

Leaves

petiole densely or sparsely long or short stipitate-glandular;

blade broadly ovate or cordate, deeply 5–7-lobed, 2.5–10 cm, base cordate or nearly truncate, lobes rounded, margins dentate, apex acute, surfaces long stipitate-glandular abaxially, glabrous or long stipitate-glandular adaxially.

petiole glabrous or short stipitate-glandular;

blade (often variegated adaxially), broadly ovate to cordate, shallowly 5-lobed, 3–12 cm, base cordate or nearly truncate, lobes rounded to widely ovate, terminal lobes often elongated, margins dentate, apex acute or obtuse, surfaces glabrous or short stipitate-glandular, at least on veins.

Inflorescences

dense to diffuse.

diffuse.

Flowers

hypanthium strongly bilaterally symmetric, free 2–7 mm, green, campanulate, abruptly inflated distal to adnation to ovary, 5–14 mm, short stipitate-glandular;

sepals erect, green-tipped, equal, 1.3–4.2 mm, apex rounded (sinuses wider than petals);

petals erect, green or greenish white, rarely pink, narrowly spatulate, unlobed, 1.3–4 mm, margins finely dentate or coarsely fimbriate;

stamens 1.5 mm included to 4 mm exserted;

styles from 0.6 mm included to 0.3 mm exserted, 4–6 mm, to 0.1 mm diam.

hypanthium strongly bilaterally symmetric, free 2.2–6.2 mm, green, gibbous-tubular, abruptly inflated distal to adnation to ovary, 6.6–12.6 mm, short stipitate-glandular;

sepals inflexed (closing mouth of flower), darker green-tipped, equal, 2–3.7 mm, apex rounded;

petals inflexed (closing mouth of flower), white, pink, or purple, spatulate, unlobed, 1.8–5.5 mm, margins often fimbriate;

stamens 2.4 mm included to 0.7 mm exserted;

styles included 1.3–5.3 mm, 1.5–2.5 mm, to 0.1 mm diam.

Capsules

ovoid, 7–14.5 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

ovoid, 5–13 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose.

Seeds

dark or very dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6–0.9 mm.

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.5–0.9 mm.

2n

= 14, 28.

= 14.

Heuchera richardsonii

Heuchera longiflora

Phenology Flowering May–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Moist or dry, low or upland prairies, basic rock outcroppings and bluffs, sandy, dry woods Rich, shaded woods and roadcuts over limestone substrates and outcroppings
Elevation 200-800 m (700-2600 ft) 100-500 m (300-1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; IA; IL; IN; KS; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; OK; SD; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; KY; NC; TN; VA; WV
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Heuchera richardsonii intergrades with H. americana where their ranges overlap in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma; the intergrading form is recognized here as H. americana var. hirsuticaulis.

Heuchera hispida (H. americana var. hispida here; see thereunder) was confused with H. richardsonii for almost a hundred years, until C. O. Rosendahl et al. (1933) pointed out that the plants from the Midwest then passing as H. hispida Pursh were distinct from Pursh’s species and were H. richardsonii.

The Blackfoot, Cree, Lakota, and Woodlands Indians used decoctions and infusions of the roots of Heuchera richardsonii for diarrhea and as an eyewash, and the Lakota applied a poultice of powdered roots to sores (D. E. Moerman 1998).

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

Heuchera longiflora is restricted to limestone outcroppings and is rare in all the states where it is found.

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

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 96. 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. parishii, H. parviflora, H. parvifolia, H. pilosissima, H. pubescens, H. pulchella, 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. 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
Synonyms H. richardsonii var. affinis, H. richardsonii var. grayana, H. richardsonii var. hispidior H. aceroides, H. longiflora var. aceroides, H. scabra
Name authority R. Brown: in J. Franklin et al., Narr. Journey Polar Sea, 766, plate 29. (1823) Rydberg: in N. L. Britton, Man. Fl. N. States, 482. (1901)
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