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coralbells

downy alum-root

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

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

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

Leaves

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.

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

moderately dense to diffuse.

diffuse.

Flowers

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.

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

ovoid, 7–11 mm, not papillose.

Seeds

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

dark brown, ellipsoid, 0.6–1 mm.

2n

= 14.

Heuchera sanguinea

Heuchera pubescens

Phenology Flowering Mar–Oct. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Moist, shaded rocks Shaded circumneutral rock outcroppings, ledges, and rocky cuts
Elevation 1200-2600 m (3900-8500 ft) 100-1400 m (300-4600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
MD; NC; PA; SC; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

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. 100. FNA vol. 8, p. 95.
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. richardsonii, H. rubescens, 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. pulchella, H. richardsonii, H. rubescens, H. sanguinea, H. villosa, H. wootonii
Synonyms H. sanguinea var. pulchra H. pubescens var. brachyandra
Name authority Engelmann: in F. A. Wislizenus, Mem. Tour N. Mexico, 107. 1848 , Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 187. (1813)
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