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Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

Photo is of parent taxon

bitter root, small bitterroot

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.

Basal leaf

blades clavate to narrowly oblanceolate, grooved adaxially.

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.

sepals 10–12(–15) mm;

petals 15 mm;

stamens 20–30;

pedicel (1–)3–8 mm.

Capsules

5–6 mm.

Seeds

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

2n

= 26, 28.

Lewisia rediviva

Lewisia rediviva var. minor

Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Dry rocky places
Elevation 1900-2800 m (6200-9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NV; UT
[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.)

Variety minor occurs at higher elevations than does var. rediviva and is known from the southern Sierra Nevada and Tooele County, Utah.

(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. 484.
Parent taxa Portulacaceae > Lewisia Portulacaceae > Lewisia > Lewisia rediviva
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. rediviva var. rediviva
Subordinate taxa
L. rediviva var. minor, L. rediviva var. rediviva
Synonyms L. minor, L. rediviva subsp. minor
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814) (Rydberg) Munz: Man. S. Calif. Bot., 598. (1935)
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