Sidalcea hirtipes |
Sidalcea stipularis |
|
|---|---|---|
|
bluff mallow, bristly-stem checker-mallow, bristly-stem checkerbloom, hairy-stem checkermallow |
scadden flat 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, 0.3–0.7 m, not glaucous, with slender, elongated rhizomes to 1 cm diam. |
| 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 in dense patches, erect, solid, hairy, hairs simple, spreading, bristly. |
| 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. |
cauline, evenly arrayed on stem; stipules asymmetric-ovate and auriculate, 10–20 × 10–20 mm, width exceeding stem diam.; petioles of proximal leaves 7–10 cm, gradually reduced distally to 2 cm, 1–1 1/2 times blade length proximally to 1/2 blade length distally; blade ovate to elliptic, unlobed, usually (4–)7–8 × (2.5–)4–5 cm, reduced distally, base cordate, margins crenate-serrate, apex acute to rounded, surfaces glabrous abaxially, sparsely hirsute adaxially. |
| 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, capitate, ± dense, calyces overlapping, unbranched, 2–10-flowered, not elongate, not 1-sided, 3–5 cm; proximalmost bracts involucrelike, similar to stipules in size and shape, narrowed to linear distally, usually divided to base, 10–20 mm, longer than pedicels, equaling or slightly shorter than calyx. |
| Pedicels | 1–3(–5) mm; involucellar bractlets absent. |
1–2 mm; involucellar bractlets 3, 8–12 mm, equaling or longer than calyx. |
| 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; calyx 8 mm, sparsely to densely bristly, sometimes also stellate-hairy; petals pink, usually pale-veined, 15 mm; staminal column 4–6 mm, hairy; anthers white; stigmas 7 or 8. |
| Seeds | 2.5–3.5 mm. |
1.9 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. |
4–5 mm diam.; mericarps 7 or 8, 2 mm, glabrous, smooth, back with medial line, mucro absent. |
| 2n | = 60. |
|
Sidalcea hirtipes |
Sidalcea stipularis |
|
| Phenology | Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Aug). | Flowering Jun–Aug. |
| Habitat | Prairie remnants, coastal bluffs, open shrublands, fencerows, meadows, usually mesic, basaltic soil | Marshes |
| Elevation | 0–200(–1200) m [0–700(–3900) ft] | 700 m [2300 ft] |
| Distribution |
OR; WA
|
CA |
| 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.) |
Of conservation concern. Sidalcea stipularis is the most distinctive and easily recognized species of Sidalcea; it is also among the rarest. It is listed as endangered in California. The ovate unlobed leaves are found in no other Sidalcea species. The relatively large stipules, bracts, and involucellar bractlets are also unique in Sidalcea, making the inflorescence appear involucrate. Studies by K. Andreasen and B. G. Baldwin (2001, 2003) suggested that it is one of the basal species within Sidalcea, and it has probably been long isolated. Sidalcea stipularis is known from the northern Sierra Nevada foothills in Nevada County. Sidalcea stipularis is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
| Parent taxa | ||
| Sibling taxa | ||
| Name authority | C. L. Hitchcock: Perenn. Sp. Sidalcea, 42. (1957) | J. T. Howell & G. H. True: Four Seasons 4(4): 20, fig. 16. (1974) |
| Source | FNA vol. 6, p. 339. | FNA vol. 6, p. 355. |
| Web links | ||