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Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

procumbent to erect, 1–3 cm.

Leaves

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

with flowers borne singly;

bracts 4–7(–8), whorled, subulate to linear-lanceolate, 4–10 mm, margins entire, apex acuminate.

Flowers

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

5–6 mm.

Seeds

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

2n

= 26, 28.

Lewisia rediviva

Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
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Discussion

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. 484.
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Lewisia
Sibling taxa
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
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814)
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