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mountain heather, mountain-heath

yellow mountain-heath, yellow mountain-heather

Habit Shrubs. Plants prostrate or ascending to erect, branched, 2–4 dm; young branches glandular, older branches glabrous.
Stems

spreading to erect, (much-branched);

young branches usually glandular-hairy, older branches glabrous or puberulent, (roughened peglike projections remaining after fall of leaves, exfoliating).

Leaves

persistent, alternate;

petiole present;

blade coriaceous, margins entire, serrulate, or glandular-serrulate, (appearing revolute, abaxial surface less than 1/3 visible).

spreading, ± imbricate;

blade linear, 4–12 × 1–2 mm, margins densely glandular-serrulate, surfaces glabrous or glandular.

Inflorescences

terminal, umbellate, corymbiform, or spikelike clusters, 2–30-flowered, sometimes flowers solitary;

perulae absent.

corymbiform, 1–16-flowered.

Pedicels

10–35 mm, densely stipitate-glandular;

bracteoles 2.

Flowers

bisexual, radially symmetric, sepals 5, connate basally;

petals 5, connate for 1/2+ their lengths, corolla deciduous, urceolate, campanulate, or cylindric;

stamens (8–)10, included or exserted;

anthers not awned, dehiscent by terminal slits;

ovary 5-locular;

style included or exserted;

stigma capitate.

often nodding;

sepals ovate to lanceolate, 3–4 mm, margins not ciliate, densely glandular abaxially;

corolla yellow or greenish yellow, urceolate, constricted at mouth, 5–8 mm, glandular, lobes reflexed, 1–2 mm;

stamens 9–10, included;

filaments 2.5–3 mm, hairy;

anthers 1–1.5 mm;

ovary ovoid, 2–2.5 mm (3.5 mm wide), glandular;

style included, 3–4.5 mm.

Fruits

capsular, broadly ovoid to globose, dehiscence basipetally septicidal.

Capsules

5-valved, globose, 2.5–4 mm, densely glandular.

Seeds

100+, ellipsoid, narrowly winged, not tailed;

testa smooth.

x

= 12.

2n

= 24.

Phyllodoce

Phyllodoce glanduliflora

Phenology Flowering Jul–Aug.
Habitat Moist subalpine to alpine slopes
Elevation 900-3500 m (3000-11500 ft)
Distribution
from USDA
North America; Eurasia
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; MT; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Species 8 (5 in the flora).

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

Phyllodoce glanduliflora hybridizes with P. aleutica and with P. empetriformis.

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

Key
1. Corollas yellow or yellowish green
→ 2
1. Corollas purple, pink, or white
→ 3
2. Corollas not glandular; filaments glabrous.
P. aleutica
2. Corollas glandular; filaments hairy
P. glanduliflora
3. Corollas urceolate, constricted at mouth, sepals glandular abaxially, margins not ciliate.
P. caerulea
3. Corollas campanulate, not constricted at mouth; sepals glabrous abaxially, margins ciliate
→ 4
4. Stamens exserted.
P. breweri
4. Stamens included.
P. empetriformis
Source FNA vol. 8, p. 476. Authors: John G. Packer, A. Joyce Gould. FNA vol. 8, p. 478.
Parent taxa Ericaceae > subfam. Ericoideae Ericaceae > subfam. Ericoideae > Phyllodoce
Sibling taxa
P. aleutica, P. breweri, P. caerulea, P. empetriformis
Subordinate taxa
P. aleutica, P. breweri, P. caerulea, P. empetriformis, P. glanduliflora
Synonyms Menziesia glanduliflora, P. aleutica subsp. glanduliflora
Name authority Salisbury: Parad. Lond. 1: plate 36. 1806 , (Hooker) Coville: Mazama 1: 196. 1897 ,
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