Heuchera richardsonii |
Heuchera pubescens |
|
---|---|---|
Richardson's alum-root |
downy 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, 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 broadly ovate to cordate, shallowly 5-lobed, 3–9 cm, base cordate to nearly truncate, lobes rounded to widely ovate, margins dentate, apex acute or obtuse, surfaces glabrous or sparsely short stipitate-glandular, at least on veins abaxially. |
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 moderately bilaterally symmetric, free 2–6.2 mm, green, campanulate, abruptly inflated distal to adnation to ovary, 5.5–13.2 mm, very short stipitate-glandular; sepals spreading, green-tipped, equal, 2–4.2 mm, apex rounded (sinuses narrower than petals); petals inflexed, pink or purple, broadly spatulate, unlobed, 2.4–4.4 mm, margins fimbriate; stamens 1.1 mm included to 3.7 mm exserted; styles from 0.6 mm included to 3 mm exserted, 4–6 mm, to 0.1 mm diam. |
Capsules | ovoid, 7–14.5 mm, beaks divergent, not papillose. |
ovoid, 7–11 mm, not papillose. |
Seeds | dark or very dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6–0.9 mm. |
dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6–1 mm. |
2n | = 14, 28. |
= 14. |
Heuchera richardsonii |
Heuchera pubescens |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jun. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Moist or dry, low or upland prairies, basic rock outcroppings and bluffs, sandy, dry woods | Shaded circumneutral rock outcroppings, ledges, and rocky cuts |
Elevation | 200-800 m (700-2600 ft) | 100-1400 m (300-4600 ft) |
Distribution |
CO; IA; IL; IN; KS; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; OK; SD; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; ON; SK
|
MD; NC; PA; SC; VA; WV
|
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 pubescens intergrades with H. americana where their ranges overlap, primarily in the central Appalachians of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia; the intergrading form is recognized here as H. americana var. hispida. It is rare in South Carolina. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 8, p. 96. | FNA vol. 8, p. 95. |
Parent taxa | Saxifragaceae > Heuchera | Saxifragaceae > Heuchera |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | H. richardsonii var. affinis, H. richardsonii var. grayana, H. richardsonii var. hispidior | H. pubescens var. brachyandra |
Name authority | R. Brown: in J. Franklin et al., Narr. Journey Polar Sea, 766, plate 29. (1823) | Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 187. (1813) |
Web links |