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Lewisia leeana

many flower lewisia, quill-leaf lewisia

Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

spreading or suberect, 8–20 cm.

procumbent to erect, 1–3 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, sessile, blade linear to clavate, subterete or grooved adaxially, 0.5–5 cm, margins entire, apex obtuse to subacute;

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.

with flowers borne singly;

bracts 4–7(–8), whorled, subulate to linear-lanceolate, 4–10 mm, margins entire, apex 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, disarticulate in fruit;

sepals (4–)6–9, broadly elliptic to ovate, 10–25 mm, scarious after anthesis, margins entire to somewhat erose, apex obtuse to rounded;

petals 10–19, usually rose to pink, sometimes lavender, sometimes with paler or white centers, or wholly white, elliptic, oblong, or narrowly oblanceolate, 15–35 mm;

stamens 20–50;

stigmas 4–9;

pedicel (1–)3–15(–30) mm.

Capsules

4–5 mm.

5–6 mm.

Seeds

1–2, 2–2.5 mm, shiny, smooth.

6–25, 2–2.5 mm, shiny, minutely papillate.

2n

= 14.

= 26, 28.

Lewisia leeana

Lewisia rediviva

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Open north- or northwest-facing granitic or serpentine slopes or cliffs
Elevation 1300-3400 m (4300-11200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Native Americans commonly ate the boiled roots of Lewisia rediviva.

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

Key
1. Basal leaf blades clavate to narrowly oblanceolate, grooved adaxially; sepals 10-12(-15) mm; petals 15mm; stamens 20-30
var. minor
1. Basal leaf blades linear, subterete, not grooved adaxially; sepals 15-25 mm; petals 18-35 mm; stamens 30-50
var. rediviva
Source FNA vol. 4, p. 481. FNA vol. 4, p. 484.
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. oppositifolia, L. pygmaea, L. stebbinsii, L. triphylla
Subordinate taxa
L. rediviva var. minor, L. rediviva var. rediviva
Synonyms Calandrinia leeana, L. eastwoodiana, Oreobroma leeanum
Name authority (Porter) B. L. Robinson: in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1: 269. (1897) Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814)
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