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round-leaf kittentail, snow queen

foothills kittentail, White River kittentails

Leaves

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

blade cordate to reniform, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base cordate to lobate, margins incised-crenate, teeth apices obtuse to rounded, surfaces glabrous or hairy;

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

strictly annual, disintegrating in 1st year;

blade narrowly to broadly ovate, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base obtuse to rounded or lobate, margins crenate, teeth apices acute to obtuse, surfaces sparsely hairy to villous;

basal veins extending through proximal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 5–12 on each side of midvein.

Racemes

decumbent, to 18 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts usually 0;

flowers 5–10, loosely aggregated.

erect, to 40 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 9–31, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 100+, densely aggregated (separating in fruit).

Stamens

epipetalous.

inserted on receptacle.

Ovaries

ovules 4.

glabrous;

ovules 17–40.

Capsules

sparsely hairy.

glabrous.

Sepals

4.

4.

Petals

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

corolla blue, ± regular, campanulate, much longer than calyx, puberulent-villous in throat, tube conspicuous.

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

corolla pink to white, bilabiate, ellipsoid, 0–2 mm longer than calyx, glabrous or sparsely hairy, lateral and abaxial petals of abaxial lip connate 1/2+ their lengths, tube absent.

Synthyris reniformis

Synthyris plantaginea

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jun; fruiting Apr–Aug. Flowering May–Jun; fruiting May–Aug.
Habitat Forests. Montane to subalpine meadows, open, montane, conifer forests.
Elevation 0–1500 m. (0–4900 ft.) 1800–3400 m. (5900–11200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Both diploid (2n = 24) and tetraploid (2n = 48; described as Besseya gooddingii Pennell) populations have been discovered among southern populations of Synthyris plantaginea in Arizona (C. G. Schaack 1983). Synthyris plantaginea is a host for the checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas anicia), which sequesters iridoid glycosides as it consumes the leaves (K. M. L’Empereur and F. R. Stermitz 1990).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 303. FNA vol. 17, p. 302.
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. pinnatifida, S. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
S. alpina, S. borealis, S. bullii, S. canbyi, S. cordata, S. dissecta, S. laciniata, S. lanuginosa, S. missurica, S. oblongifolia, S. pinnatifida, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. reniformis, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Wulfenia reniformis, Veronica regina-nivalis Veronica plantaginea, Besseya plantaginea
Name authority (Douglas ex Bentham) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 454. (1846) (E. James) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 455. (1846)
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