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Lewisia leeana

many flower lewisia, quill-leaf lewisia

short-sepal bitter-root, short-sepal lewisia

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

spreading or suberect, 8–20 cm.

semiprostrate to suberect, 3–8 cm.

Leaves

basal leaves evergreen, sessile, blade linear, ± terete, 1.5–6 cm, margins entire, apex obtuse;

cauline leaves alternate, intergrading with bracts, blade narrowly lanceolate, 5 mm, margins entire, apex acute.

basal leaves withering at or immediately following anthesis, ± sessile or tapered to broad petiole, blade oblanceolate, ± flattened, 3–8 cm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse;

cauline leaves absent.

Inflorescences

paniculate cymes, 50–70(–100)-flowered;

bracts several, alternate proximally, 2 at each flowering node distally, ovate to narrowly lanceolate, 2–5 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute.

flowers borne singly on peduncles;

bracts 2, ovate to broadly lanceolate, 5–7 mm, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate.

Flowers

pedicellate, not disarticulate in fruit;

sepals 2, suborbiculate, 1–4 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, apex truncate;

petals 5–8, magenta, lavender, or white with or without magenta veins, obovate, 5–7 mm;

stamens 4–8;

stigmas 2;

pedicel 3–15 mm.

sessile, not disarticulate in fruit;

sepals 2, decussate with bracts, ovate, 4–9 mm, herbaceous, margins entire, not glandular, apex acute;

petals 5–9, white, sometimes with pink veins, or pinkish, obovate, 12–26 mm;

stamens 9–15;

stigmas 5–8.

Capsules

4–5 mm.

6–9 mm.

Seeds

1–2, 2–2.5 mm, shiny, smooth.

40–50, 1.5 mm, shiny.

2n

= 14.

= 20.

Lewisia leeana

Lewisia brachycalyx

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Open north- or northwest-facing granitic or serpentine slopes or cliffs Montane meadows in sandy soil
Elevation 1300-3400 m (4300-11200 ft) 1300-2400 m (4300-7900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Lewisia leeana is known only from northwestern California and southwesternmost Oregon, and a disjunct population in Fresno County, California. As discussed by B. Mathew (1989b), Lewisia ×whiteae Purdy (California) is a natural, constantly recurring hybrid between L. leeana and L. cotyledon. In their narrowly spatulate leaves, the hybrids resemble L. columbiana out of range (cf. L. T. Dempster 1993); the flowers are reportedly more deeply colored.

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

As B. Mathew (1989b) noted, plants attributed to New Mexico probably were collected in Arizona.

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

Source FNA vol. 4, p. 481. FNA vol. 4, p. 478.
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Lewisia Portulacaceae > Lewisia
Sibling taxa
L. brachycalyx, L. cantelovii, L. columbiana, L. congdonii, L. cotyledon, L. disepala, L. kelloggii, L. longipetala, L. maguirei, L. nevadensis, L. oppositifolia, L. pygmaea, L. rediviva, L. stebbinsii, L. triphylla
L. cantelovii, L. columbiana, L. congdonii, L. cotyledon, L. disepala, L. kelloggii, L. leeana, L. longipetala, L. maguirei, L. nevadensis, L. oppositifolia, L. pygmaea, L. rediviva, L. stebbinsii, L. triphylla
Synonyms Calandrinia leeana, L. eastwoodiana, Oreobroma leeanum L. brachycarpa, Oreobroma brachycalyx
Name authority (Porter) B. L. Robinson: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1: 269. (1897) Engelmann ex A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 400. (1868)
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