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pink woodland star, prairie star, small-flower fringecup, small-flower prairie star, small-flower woodland-star

mission star, mission woodland-star

Habit Plants slender. Plants slender.
Flowering stems

simple, 20–50 cm.

simple, 20–40 cm.

Leaves

in basal rosette and cauline, basal mostly 3-lobed, cauline (2–3), 3-foliolate, reduced, similar to basal (except lobes longer);

stipules large, decurrent on petiole base, (margins fimbriate);

petiole to 6 cm;

blade dark green, orbiculate, (base cuneate), surfaces nearly glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy.

in basal rosette and cauline, basal weakly 3-lobed, cauline (2), opposite, (1 pair), deeply 3-lobed, reduced, similar to basal;

stipules narrow, not decurrent on petiole, (margins fimbriate);

petiole to 9 cm;

blade dark green or reddish green, reniform, (base ligulate), surfaces sparsely hairy.

Inflorescences

2–3, nodding, 4–14-flowered racemes, simple.

solitary flowers or 1–3, (lax), nodding, 2–5(–8)-flowered racemes, simple, (10–40 cm).

Pedicels

equaling or shorter than hypanthium.

1.5–2 times longer than hypanthium.

Flowers

deciduous if unfertilized, not fragrant, horizontal;

hypanthium obconic-elongate at anthesis, becoming very elongate in fruit, open at throat, (length 2 times diam.);

sepals erect, triangular;

petals (exserted), widely spreading, white or pink, often with prominent venation, obovate-rhombic, narrowly clawed, deeply 3-lobed, (usually with prominent sinuses extending 1/2+ to base), 7–16 mm, ultimate margins entire;

ovary 1/2+ inferior;

styles included in fruit;

stigma papillae in narrow subapical band.

persistent, fragrant, vertical;

hypanthium turbinate, elongating in fruit, open at throat, (length 2 times diam.);

sepals erect, becoming wide-spreading after anthesis, triangular;

petals (exserted), widely spreading, white, ovate, narrowly clawed, unlobed, (bowl-shaped), 4–8 mm, ultimate margins entire;

ovary 1/2 inferior;

styles included in fruit;

stigma papillae apical.

Seeds

0.5–0.6 mm, wrinkled or smooth.

0.4 mm, tuberculate (tubercles in 3–19 rows, blunt or spinelike).

2n

= 14, 21, 28, 35.

= 14 + 1.

Lithophragma parviflorum

Lithophragma cymbalaria

Phenology Flowering Mar–Aug. Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat Coastal bluffs, gravel prairies and rocky meadows, open forests, shrublands, and grasslands, subalpine regions, commonly with Lithophragma glabrum and L. tenellum Shady oak-manzanita/arbutus woodland, mountainous regions, drainage courses
Elevation 200-3100 m (700-10200 ft) 0-2000 m (0-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NE; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Lithophragma parviflorum is easily identified throughout its range, although morphological variation is apparent when comparing specimens from different habitats and elevations in western North America. Some authors treat L. trifoliatum as a variety of L. parviflorum.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Lithophragma cymbalaria is the only species of the genus with a single pair of opposite cauline leaves. It shows a high degree of self-compatibility, with abundant seeds produced; it may produce abundant bulbils. It is found from Stanislaus County to Santa Barbara County including the northern Channel Islands.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 80. FNA vol. 8, p. 81.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Lithophragma Saxifragaceae > Lithophragma
Sibling taxa
L. affine, L. bolanderi, L. campanulatum, L. cymbalaria, L. glabrum, L. heterophyllum, L. maximum, L. tenellum, L. trifoliatum
L. affine, L. bolanderi, L. campanulatum, L. glabrum, L. heterophyllum, L. maximum, L. parviflorum, L. tenellum, L. trifoliatum
Synonyms Tellima parviflora, L. anemonoides, L. austromontanum, Pleurendotria reniformis Tellima cymbalaria
Name authority (Hooker) Nuttall: in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 584. 1840 (as parviflora) , Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 585. 1840 ,
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