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Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

Congdon's lewisia

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

procumbent to erect, 1–3 cm.

± erect, becoming lax with age, 20–60 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 withering after anthesis, abruptly or gradually narrowed to broad petiole, blade oblanceolate, 5–25 cm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse;

cauline leaves withering after anthesis, alternate, ± sessile, distalmost intergrading with bracts, reduced, blade lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 15–125 mm, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse.

Inflorescences

with flowers borne singly;

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

3–7-branched paniculate cymes, 20–100-flowered;

bracts alternate proximally, 2 at each flowering node distally, ovate to orbiculate, 10–20 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute proximally to rounded distally.

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 obovate, 2–4 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, apex truncate to rounded;

petals 6–7, pale pink, veins magenta, base yellow-green, obovate, 7.5–10 mm;

stamens 4–5;

stigmas 3;

pedicel 5–10 mm.

Capsules

5–6 mm.

3–4 mm.

Seeds

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

2 mm, shiny.

2n

= 26, 28.

= ca. 24.

Lewisia rediviva

Lewisia congdonii

Phenology Flowering spring.
Habitat Shaded, mossy, rocky slopes
Elevation 500-2100 m (1600-6900 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.)

Of conservation concern.

Lewisia congdonii is found only in Mariposa County, California.

(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. 479.
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. cantelovii, L. columbiana, 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 Oreobroma congdonii, L. columbiana subsp. congdonii
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814) (Rydberg) S. Clay: Present-day Rock Gard., xx, 340. (1937)
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