The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links
Sidalcea hirtipes

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

Sidalcea oregana

Oregon checker-mallow, Oregon 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, perennial, (0.3–)0.4–1.5 m, glaucous or not, with short, thick, rather woody taproot and branching caudex, without rhizomes or rhizomelike rootstocks (subsp. valida sometimes with rhizomes).
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.

single or clustered, erect, rarely rooting at base, unbranched or distally branched, proximally usually solid, sometimes hollow in age, base glabrous, coarsely stellate-hairy to long-bristly, or glabrate, hairs usually becoming appressed, simple or stellate.

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.

basal and cauline, basal sometimes deciduous, cauline 3+;

stipules usually deciduous, linear to lanceolate, 4–6(–14) × 0.5–1(–2) mm;

petioles of basal and proximal leaves (5–)7–10(–35) cm, 3–5 times as long as blades, reduced distally, distalmost leaves sometimes subsessile;

blade cordate or reniform-orbiculate, 3–10(–15) × 3–10(–15) cm, base cordate, apex rounded, lobe apex often acute, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy, hairs minute, simple, forked, or stellate, proximal usually shallowly palmately 5–7(–9)-lobed, sometimes unlobed with margins crenate;

midstem more deeply (3–)5–9-lobed, lobes again palmately or pinnately lobed, distalmost unlobed or 3(–5)-lobed, segments unlobed or deeply lobed, narrow.

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, usually spiciform, sometimes subcapitate, congested in bud, dense, calyces sometimes conspicuously overlapping in flower and sometimes in fruit, to open and elongate, few-branched or unbranched, 10–20+-flowered, flowers opening and closing sequentially from base to apex, sometimes 3–10 open on same day, not leafy-bracted, not 1-sided, (1.5–)10–30 cm, elongating in flower or fruit;

bracts linear to linear-lanceolate, undivided to 2-fid, proximal sometimes divided to base, 4–6(–7) mm, sometimes exceeding flower buds, usually equaling or longer than pedicels, shorter than calyx.

Pedicels

1–3(–5) mm;

involucellar bractlets absent.

1–3(–10) 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 unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious;

calyx usually green, 3.5–10 mm, usually lightly reticulate-veined, glabrous or densely, uniformly stellate-puberulent or bristly, surface often obscured;

petals usually overlapping, pink or pink-lavender to dark rose-pink or magenta, not notably pale-veined, pistillate 5–10 mm, bisexual 8–15(–20) mm;

staminal column 4–6(–9) mm, hairy;

anthers white to pinkish;

stigmas 6–9.

Seeds

2.5–3.5 mm.

1.5–2.5 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.

4–7 mm diam.;

mericarps 6–9, 2–3 mm, sparsely glandular-puberulent, sometimes glabrous, not stellate-hairy, back and margins rounded, smooth or slightly reticulate-veined or pitted, infrequently prominently roughened at least on margins and/or back, mucro 0.1–0.7 mm.

2n

= 60.

= 20, 40, 60.

Sidalcea hirtipes

Sidalcea oregana

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; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC
[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.)

Subspecies 5 (5 in the flora).

Sidalcea oregana is variable and parts of it have been treated as distinct species, subspecies, varieties, or extremes of a continuum. The plants are generally characterized by their strictly erect, leafless inflorescences that are congested in bud, their variable, sparsely hairy, lobed leaves that are both basal and cauline, and their usual lack of rhizomes. They often have been characterized and distinguished from the S. malviflora group by smooth mericarps; this feature depends upon the subspecies and is not true of all plants of S. oregana. These are usually mountain plants; some grow at lower elevations toward the northern parts of the range.

(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. 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. hirtipes, S. keckii, S. malachroides, S. malviflora, S. multifida, S. nelsoniana, S. neomexicana, S. pedata, S. ranunculacea, S. reptans, S. robusta, S. setosa, S. sparsifolia, S. stipularis, S. virgata
Subordinate taxa
S. oregana subsp. eximia, S. oregana subsp. hydrophila, S. oregana subsp. oregana, S. oregana subsp. spicata, S. oregana subsp. valida
Key
1. Primary peduncles (distal to distalmost leaves) longer than mature inflorescence; inflorescences dense, short-spiciform or subcapitate, 1.5–5 cm in age; calyces usually stellate-puberulent with sparse or no bristles; usually wetlands; California, Nevada
→ 2
1. Primary peduncles usually equaling or shorter than mature inflorescence; inflorescences open or dense, spiciform, 3–30 cm in age; calyces stellate-puberulent, with or without longer bristle hairs 0.5–2.5 mm; meadows, prairies, streamsides, not characteristically wetlands; British Columbia to California, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
→ 3
2. Stems to 5 mm diam. near base, base stellate-bristly or hirsute, bristle hairs 2 mm; inflorescences 1.5–2.5 cm; 1100–2300 m.
subsp. hydrophila
2. Stems 5–10 mm diam. near base, base usually bristly-hirsute, sometimes with minute stellate hairs, bristle hairs 1–1.5 mm; inflorescences 2–5 cm; 100–200 m.
subsp. valida
3. Calyces to 8–13 mm in fruit, bristly-tomentose, some hairs 1.5–2.5 mm; Humboldt County, California.
subsp. eximia
3. Calyces to 3.5–7(–10) mm in fruit, short-stellate-hairy, sometimes also with bristles but not bristly-tomentose; British Columbia to California, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
→ 4
4. Stem bases glabrous or stellate-hairy, hairs usually to 1 mm, sometimes bristly with appressed hairs, infrequently spreading; calyces usually uniformly stellate-puberulent; bracts usually shorter than young flower buds; rachis apex usually blunt or rounded.
subsp. oregana
4. Stem bases usually softly bristly-hirsute with hairs 1–2 mm or stellate-hairy, sometimes glabrous; calyces usually densely stellate-hairy, sometimes bristly; bracts usually longer than young flower buds; rachis apex usually acute.
subsp. spicata
Synonyms Sida oregana
Name authority C. L. Hitchcock: Perenn. Sp. Sidalcea, 42. (1957) (Nuttall ex Torrey & A. Gray) A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 20. (1849)
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 339. Treatment author: Steven R. Hill. FNA vol. 6, p. 347. Treatment author: Steven R. Hill.
Web links