Flora of North America species comparison

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Synthyris pinnatifida

Synthyris borealis

feather-leaf kittentail

northern kittentail
Leaves

persistent, some withering in 2d year as new leaves expand;

blade oblong-ovate to ovate, 25+ mm wide, not leathery, base lobate, margins 1- or 2-pinnatifid, teeth apices obtuse to acute, surfaces glabrous or villous;

basal veins extending through proximal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midvein.

persistent, some withering in 2d year as new leaves expand;

blade ovate to cordate, 25+ mm wide, not leathery, base lobate, margins laciniate, teeth apices rounded, surfaces villous, hairs prominent on margins;

basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midvein.
Racemes

erect, to 30 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 3+, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 10–40, loosely aggregated.

erect, to 15 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 3+, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 15–50, loosely aggregated.
Stamens

epipetalous.

epipetalous.
Ovaries

ovules 10–16.

ovules 10–16.
Capsules

glabrous.

hairy.
Sepals

4.

4.
Petals

(3 or)4(or 5), apex entire or erose;

corolla blue, ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, glabrous, tube conspicuous.

(3 or)4(or 5), apex entire or erose;

corolla blue, ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, glabrous, tube conspicuous.
2n

= 24.

Synthyris pinnatifida

Synthyris borealis
Phenology Flowering Apr–Aug; fruiting May–Oct. Flowering May–Jul; fruiting May–Sep.
Habitat Forest openings, subalpine meadows, alpine tundra. Tundra heaths, fellfields, talus slopes.
Elevation 2100–3800 m. (6900–12500 ft.) 200–2500 m. (700–8200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Flowering in plants of Synthyris pinnatifida begins at the margins of melting snow banks.

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

Synthyris borealis is distributed primarily in unglaciated portions of the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 17, p. 302. FNA vol. 17, p. 299.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Synthyris Plantaginaceae > Synthyris
Sibling taxa
S. alpina, S. borealis, S. bullii, S. canbyi, S. cordata, S. dissecta, S. laciniata, S. lanuginosa, S. missurica, S. oblongifolia, S. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. reniformis, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
S. alpina, S. bullii, S. canbyi, S. cordata, S. dissecta, S. laciniata, S. lanuginosa, S. missurica, S. oblongifolia, S. pinnatifida, S. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. reniformis, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Veronica paysonii Veronica alaskensis
Name authority S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 227, plate 22, figs. 1, 2 [ — as pinnata]. 1871 Pennell: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 85: 88, fig. 1. (1933)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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