Synthyris reniformis |
Synthyris plantaginea |
|
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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 |
CA; OR; WA
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AZ; CO; NM; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua)
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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 | ||
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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