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Lewisia rediviva

bitter root, bitterroot lewisia, resurrection flower

Stebbins' lewisia

Taproots

gradually ramified distally.

gradually ramified distally.

Stems

procumbent to erect, 1–3 cm.

procumbent, 1.5–14 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, gradually tapered to broad petiole, blade oblanceolate, spatulate, or obovate, flattened, 2.5–8.5 cm, margins entire, apex 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.

subumbellate cymes, 1–3-branched, 3–11-flowered;

bracts several, usually an opposite pair proximally, plus 2 at each flowering node distally, ovate to elliptical, 1.8–3 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, broadly ovate, 3.5–7 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, apex rounded to truncate;

petals 7–10, magenta or carmine with whitish bases, veins darker, oblanceolate or obovate, 8–10 mm;

stamens 10–13;

stigmas 3–4;

pedicel 8–25 mm.

Capsules

5–6 mm.

5–7 mm.

Seeds

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

20, 1.5–2 mm, shiny, smooth.

2n

= 26, 28.

Lewisia rediviva

Lewisia stebbinsii

Phenology Flowering late spring–early summer.
Habitat Open meadows in dryish, rocky or gravelly soils
Elevation 1900 m (6200 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 stebbinsii is known only from the north Coast Ranges in Mendocino County

(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
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. congdonii, L. cotyledon, L. disepala, L. kelloggii, L. leeana, L. longipetala, L. maguirei, L. nevadensis, L. oppositifolia, L. pygmaea, L. rediviva, L. triphylla
Subordinate taxa
L. rediviva var. minor, L. rediviva var. rediviva
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 368. (1814) Gankin & W. R. Hildreth: Four Seasons 2(4): 13, figs. a–c. (1968)
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