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Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

short-sepal bitter-root, short-sepal lewisia

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

procumbent to erect, 1–3 cm.

semiprostrate to suberect, 3–8 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.

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

with flowers borne singly;

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

flowers borne singly on peduncles;

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

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

5–6 mm.

6–9 mm.

Seeds

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

40–50, 1.5 mm, shiny.

2n

= 26, 28.

= 20.

Lewisia rediviva

Lewisia brachycalyx

Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Montane meadows in sandy soil
Elevation 1300-2400 m (4300-7900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

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.)

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. 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. leeana, L. longipetala, L. maguirei, L. nevadensis, L. oppositifolia, L. pygmaea, 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
Subordinate taxa
L. rediviva var. minor, L. rediviva var. rediviva
Synonyms L. brachycarpa, Oreobroma brachycalyx
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814) Engelmann ex A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 7: 400. (1868)
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