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Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

Cantelow's lewisia

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

procumbent to erect, 1–3 cm.

procumbent to suberect, 10–50(–60) 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 evergreen, sessile or abruptly or gradually narrowing to broad petiole, blade narrowly obovate to spatulate, flattened, (2–)2.5–8(–14) cm, margins finely toothed to coarsely triangular-toothed, apex truncate, emarginate, retuse, or rounded;

cauline leaves absent, or alternate or in suprabasal rosettes, similar to but smaller than basal leaves and intergrading with bracts, 3–12 mm.

Inflorescences

with flowers borne singly;

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

loosely paniculate cymes, 30–100-flowered;

bracts several, alternate or opposite proximally, 2 at each flowering node distally, ovate, obovate, or elliptic, 1–4 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute.

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.

pedicellate, not disarticulate in fruit;

sepals 2, suborbiculate to broadly elliptic, 2–3 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, rarely eglandular, apex rounded to truncate;

petals 5–7, white to pale pink, veins darker pink, elliptic, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-obovate, 5–9 mm;

stamens 5–6;

stigmas 3;

pedicel 0.3–8 mm.

Capsules

5–6 mm.

3 mm.

Seeds

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

1–3, 1.2–1.5 mm, shiny, ± smooth.

2n

= 26, 28.

= 28.

Lewisia rediviva

Lewisia cantelovii

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Usually on shaded, moist, rocky canyon and ravine walls
Elevation 400-1300 m (1300-4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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.)

B. L. Davidson (2000) summarized evidence for taxonomic recognition of plants from populations in the extreme southern (El Dorado and Placer counties) and northern (Shasta County) portions of the range as distinct varieties. The southern populations have been recognized as Lewisia serrata and are distinguished by the combination of rounded to obtuse leaf apices, shorter stems (10–25 cm), longer pedicels (3–8 mm), and shorter petals (5–6 mm). The northern populations are distinguished by the combination of longer stems (30–60 cm) and scarcely glandular or eglandular margin teeth.

(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. brachycalyx, 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. serrata
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814) J. T. Howell: Leafl. W. Bot. 3: 139. (1942)
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