Sidalcea hirtipes
Sidalcea virgata
bluff mallow, bristly-stem checker-mallow, bristly-stem checkerbloom, hairy-stem checkermallow
rose checkerbloom, virgate checkerbloom
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.
scattered or clustered, erect, decumbent-ascending, or reclining, freely rooting proximally, solid, proximally densely stellate-hairy, hairs long, soft, tangled, often 1.5 mm, distally hirsute to subglabrous, hairs smaller and appressed.
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;
stipules sometimes purplish, linear-lanceolate, 4–5(–10) × 0.5–1.5 mm;
petioles 10–20 cm on basal leaves, 3 times blade length, gradually reduced distally to 1/2 times blade length;
blades: proximalmost orbiculate or semi-orbiculate to cordate, shallowly 5–7-lobed, 2–10(–15) × 2–10(–15) cm, base cordate, apex rounded, lobe margins coarsely dentate, surfaces densely stellate-hairy abaxially, hairs often simple and appressed adaxially;
mid cauline deeply, palmately 5–7(–9)-lobed, lobes oblong, margins coarsely dentate;
distal cauline smaller, deeply divided ± to base, lobe margins often entire.
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 or ascending, often ± spiciform, usually open, sometimes dense, calyces usually not conspicuously overlapping except sometimes in bud, unbranched or rarely 1–3-branched, 5–20(–30)-flowered, proximalmost 1 or 2 flowers usually leafy-bracted, spaced 1+ cm, elongate, slender and virgate, often 1-sided, 20–25 cm;
bracts often purplish, linear to oblanceolate, usually 2-fid, 3–6 mm, usually equaling pedicels.
1–3(–5) mm;
involucellar bractlets absent.
(2–)3–8(–15) mm;
involucellar bractlets absent.
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 6–12 mm, densely, finely stellate-hairy, without longer hairs, lobes green or purple-tinged;
petals pink or pinkish lavender to magenta, usually drying purple, usually pale-veined, pistillate 9–10 mm, bisexual 15–28(–30) mm;
staminal column 6–8 mm, hairy;
anthers white;
stigmas 6 or 7(or 8).
2.5–3.5 mm.
1.5–2 mm.
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.
6–7 mm diam.;
mericarps 6 or 7(or 8), 3–3.5(–4) mm, roughened, back glandular-puberulent to finely stellate, prominently reticulate-veined, pitted, mucro 0.5 mm.
= 60.
= 20, 40.
Sidalcea hirtipes
Sidalcea virgata
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 virgata was included as a subspecies within S. malviflora by C. L. Hitchcock (1957). It does have some resemblance to S. malviflora subsp. patula; the inflorescence is generally much more open, the rhizomes are not as long, and the stems are narrower and less hairy, and it tends to occur farther inland. It has been confused also with S. asprella and S. elegans, and the three appear to be closely related. Sidalcea virgata is somewhat difficult to define because it overlaps with other taxa in most of its characters, yet it has been generally accepted as distinct. Its range is well delineated but it is not always easily distinguished from sympatric species, especially in fruit. Its proximalmost flowers consistently being in the axils of well-developed leaves may be its most useful identification feature (especially in herbarium specimens). Hitchcock noted that it does not occur south of Oregon and considered it to be more geographically than morphologically distinct. It has been listed as endangered in Washington (as S. malviflora subsp. virgata); its single occurrence there needs more investigation. Sidalcea virgata is found in the Willamette Valley area and in Josephine to Yamhill counties, Oregon, and, possibly, in Thurston County, Washington.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
OR
WA
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
