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Lewisia leeana

many flower lewisia, quill-leaf lewisia

opposite-leaf lewisia

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

spreading or suberect, 8–20 cm.

erect, basal nodes underground, 10–20(–25) 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 soon after anthesis, abruptly narrowed into broad petiole, blade linear-spatulate to linear-oblanceolate, flattened, 4–11 cm, margins entire, apex obtuse to subacute;

cauline leaves opposite, in 1–3 pairs near stem base, smaller than and similar to basal leaves.

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.

racemose to subumbellate cymes, (1–)2–5(–6)-flowered;

bracts alternate proximally, 1–many at each flowering node distally, lanceolate, 4–8 mm, margins entire or toothed at apex, 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.

pedicellate, not disarticulate in fruit;

sepals 2, suborbiculate, 4–8(–10) mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins coarsely toothed but not glandular, apex obtuse to rounded;

petals 8–11, pink fading to white, oblanceolate to obovate, 9–15 mm;

stamens 8–18;

stigmas 3–5;

pedicel 20–75 mm.

Capsules

4–5 mm.

5–6 mm.

Seeds

1–2, 2–2.5 mm, shiny, smooth.

5–15, 1–1.8 mm, shiny, smooth.

2n

= 14.

Lewisia leeana

Lewisia oppositifolia

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring.
Habitat Open north- or northwest-facing granitic or serpentine slopes or cliffs Decomposed serpentine substrates
Elevation 1300-3400 m (4300-11200 ft) 300-1300 m (1000-4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[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.)

Lewisia oppositifolia is known only from Del Norte County, California, and Josephine County, Oregon.

The floral symmetry of Lewisia oppositifolia may be somewhat elliptical, the outer two petals alternating with the sepals and the remaining petals imbricate and opposite the sepals, giving the flowers a pinched appearance, a feature also reported for L. nevadensis. The more diminutive, higher-elevation plants of L. oppositifolia possibly represent a distinct taxon that has been informally recognized as “Lewisia richeyi” (B. Mathew 1989b).

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

Source FNA vol. 4, p. 481. FNA vol. 4, p. 483.
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. brachycalyx, L. cantelovii, L. columbiana, L. congdonii, L. cotyledon, L. disepala, L. kelloggii, L. leeana, L. longipetala, L. maguirei, L. nevadensis, L. pygmaea, L. rediviva, L. stebbinsii, L. triphylla
Synonyms Calandrinia leeana, L. eastwoodiana, Oreobroma leeanum Calandrinia oppositifolia, Oreobroma oppositifolium
Name authority (Porter) B. L. Robinson: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1: 269. (1897) (S. Watson) B. L. Robinson: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1: 268. (1897)
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