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Sidalcea hirtipes

bluff mallow, bristly-stem checker-mallow, bristly-stem checkerbloom, hairy-stem checkermallow

annual checkerbloom, checker mallow, vernal pool checkerbloom

Habit Herbs, perennial, usually in colonies, 0.7–1.3(–1.8) m, not glaucous, with thick, rather woody taproot and coarse, elongate (cordlike) rhizomes 20–100 × 5 mm. Herbs, annual, rarely perennial, (0.2–)0.3–0.5(–0.9) m, not glaucous, with taproot or rhizomelike stolons to 35 blade; basal blades usually orbiculate, unlobed or slightly palmately lobed, 1–2(–10) × 2–5(–10) cm, wider than long, margins crenate, shiny; cauline blades rounded, deeply 5–9(–11)-lobed, 1–2 × 2–4 cm, lobes linear-elliptic to oblanceolate-obtuse, margins entire, ciliate, surfaces slightly hirsute.
Stems

several, scattered, erect, arising from rhizome apices, usually slightly hollow, densely, harshly bristly-hirsute, hairs stiff, pustular, simple, forked, or stellate, often 2–2.5 mm.

Leaves

basal and cauline;

stipules linear-subulate, 6–8 × 1–1.5 mm;

petioles of proximal leaves 20–30 cm, 3 times as long as blades, reduced distally to 1/2 times as long as blades;

blades: basal and proximalmost orbiculate to reniform, shallowly 5–9-lobed, 10–15 × 10–15 cm, thick, base narrowly cordate, lobe margins coarsely crenate-dentate, apex rounded, surfaces coarsely hirsute, hairs stiff;

distal orbiculate, deeply palmately 5–7-lobed, incised ± to base, lobes sometimes lobed again, base cuneate, apex acute, deeply 2–3-toothed, surfaces long-hirsute or with 2–4-rayed, stellate hairs abaxially.

Inflorescences

erect, spiciform to subcapitate, dense, calyces usually conspicuously overlapping in flower and sometimes in fruit, proximals usually long-pedunculate, unbranched or branched, 20+-flowered, 10+ flowers usually open on spike at same time, not interrupted, not 1-sided, usually to 8 cm, usually not elongate but sometimes slightly elongated in some populations and to 20 cm in fruit;

bracts paired or single, linear, distal undivided, proximal distinct to base, 6 mm, mostly slightly longer than pedicels.

erect, spicate, dense, calyces sometimes overlapping, unbranched or branched, distal stem sometimes leafless, many-flowered, not 1-sided, 2–10 cm, elongating at maturity;

bracts green or purplish, ovate to wide-elliptic, usually 2-fid, sometimes undivided, 2–6(–12) × 2–5 mm.

Pedicels

1–3(–5) mm;

involucellar bractlets absent.

(2–)4–5 mm;

involucellar bractlets absent.

Flowers

bisexual or unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious;

calyx often purple tinted, 9–11 mm, to 11–16 mm in fruit, margins ciliate, hairs 1–2 mm, surfaces finely stellate-hairy at base and with coarser, longer, simple and stellate hairs apically;

petals usually pale pink to rose-lavender, rarely white, slightly or not pale-veined, (9–)10–21 mm, pistillate often 9–14 mm;

staminal column 5–7(–10) mm, hairy;

anthers white;

stigmas 5–10.

bisexual or infrequently unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious;

calyx often purple tinted or scarious, 4–12 mm, silky strigose-bristly at base and on veins, stellate-puberulent;

petals usually pale purple or pink, rarely white, base pale or white, (9–)10–25 mm, pistillate shortest;

stamens: outer filaments connate to apex, tube funnel-like, with continuous rim to which unstalked anthers attach;

staminal column 4–9 mm, hairy in proximal 1/2;

anthers white to pale purple;

stigmas 5–9.

Seeds

2.5–3.5 mm.

2–3.5 mm.

Schizocarps

7–8 mm diam.;

mericarps 5–10, 3.5–4 mm, glabrous or sparsely stellate-puberulent, roughened, prominently reticulate-veined, sides rugose and pitted, back less so, mucro 0.6–0.8 mm.

5–9 mm diam.;

mericarps 5–9, often purple tinted, 2.5–4.5 mm, glabrous, not especially roughened, sides reticulate-veined, back deeply longitudinally grooved, mucro often appressed, 0.5 mm.

2n

= 60.

Sidalcea hirtipes

Sidalcea calycosa

Phenology Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Aug).
Habitat Prairie remnants, coastal bluffs, open shrublands, fencerows, meadows, usually mesic, basaltic soil
Elevation 0–200(–1200) m [0–700(–3900) ft]
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Sidalcea hirtipes is uncommon and known from Clatsop, Lincoln, and Tillamook counties in Oregon and Clark, Lewis, and Wahkiakum counties in Washington. Its elevation and habitat vary, and it seems as much at home on steep coastal cliffs as in more inland, historic prairies and mountain meadows. Populations can appear to be large because of the long-rhizomatous and clonal nature of the plants; they are few and local. It is threatened by grazing, loss of habitat, fire suppression, road construction and maintenance, and changes in hydrology. It is a candidate for listing in Oregon and has been listed as endangered in Washington. Sidalcea hirtipes is characterized by its coarse indument of bristle hairs, its generally compact spikelike inflorescences, its relatively few, large, erect, hirsute leaves, and, especially, its extensive, coarse rhizomes. The inflorescences in some populations are elongated in fruit; its range, hirsute indument, and thick leaves along with coarse rhizomes help to distinguish it from other species. Stem internode length varies depending on habitat, as in many other Sidalcea. Molecular data suggest a relationship among S. hirtipes and S. asprella, S. celata, and S. gigantea (K. Andreasen and B. G. Baldwin 2003).

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

Sidalcea calycosa is variable and found locally in marshes and vernal pools in northern California. The annual, short-taprooted, subsp. calycosa varies in height and branching and is consistent in other vegetative and reproductive features. The perennial subsp. rhizomata has elongated, amphibious stolons somewhat like those of the fern Marsilea and is found in marshes near the coast. It and subsp. calycosa have the same fragile nature and similar morphology, and their distinctive fruits are essentially indistinguishable, having the only multifurrowed or striate surfaces in Sidalcea. Because S. calycosa is not at all fibrous and tough like the other perennials, it is keyed with the annuals.

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sidalcea Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sidalcea
Sibling taxa
S. asprella, S. calycosa, S. campestris, S. candida, S. celata, S. covillei, S. cusickii, S. diploscypha, S. elegans, S. gigantea, S. glaucescens, S. hartwegii, S. hendersonii, S. hickmanii, S. hirsuta, S. keckii, S. malachroides, S. malviflora, S. multifida, S. nelsoniana, S. neomexicana, S. oregana, S. pedata, S. ranunculacea, S. reptans, S. robusta, S. setosa, S. sparsifolia, S. stipularis, S. virgata
S. asprella, S. campestris, S. candida, S. celata, S. covillei, S. cusickii, S. diploscypha, S. elegans, S. gigantea, S. glaucescens, S. hartwegii, S. hendersonii, S. hickmanii, S. hirsuta, S. hirtipes, S. keckii, S. malachroides, S. malviflora, S. multifida, S. nelsoniana, S. neomexicana, S. oregana, S. pedata, S. ranunculacea, S. reptans, S. robusta, S. setosa, S. sparsifolia, S. stipularis, S. virgata
Subordinate taxa
S. calycosa subsp. calycosa, S. calycosa subsp. rhizomata
Key
1. Plants annual, with taproot, stem base rarely decumbent, rooting; bracts 2–6 mm, not obscuring calyx, glabrous or ciliate; calyces 4–7 mm; petals (9–)10–25 mm; relatively widespread in n, c California.
subsp. calycosa
1. Plants perennial, with rhizomelike stolons rooting at nodes; bracts 8–12 mm, mostly obscuring calyx, silky-hairy; calyces 6–12 mm; petals 20–25 mm; restricted to n, c coastal California.
subsp. rhizomata
Name authority C. L. Hitchcock: Perenn. Sp. Sidalcea, 42. (1957) M. E. Jones: Amer. Naturalist 17: 875. (1883)
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 339. Treatment author: Steven R. Hill. FNA vol. 6, p. 326. Treatment author: Steven R. Hill.
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