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Synthyris schizantha

fringe kitten-tails, fringe kittentail, fringe-petal kitten's-tail, fringepetal kittentails

round-leaf kittentail, snow queen

Leaves

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

blade ovate to reniform or orbiculate, 25+ mm wide, chartaceous, base cordate to lobate, margins incised-crenate, teeth apices obtuse to rounded, surfaces ± hairy;

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

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.

Racemes

erect, to 35 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 2, fan-shaped, largest 2+ cm;

flowers 15–80, loosely aggregated.

decumbent, to 18 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts usually 0;

flowers 5–10, loosely aggregated.

Stamens

epipetalous.

epipetalous.

Ovaries

ovules 2–7.

ovules 4.

Capsules

glabrous or sparsely hairy along margins.

sparsely hairy.

Sepals

4.

4.

Petals

(3 or)4(or 5), apex laciniate;

corolla blue to lavender with veins deeper colored (except tube yellowish white), ± 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, puberulent-villous in throat, tube conspicuous.

Synthyris schizantha

Synthyris reniformis

Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting May–Aug. Flowering Mar–Jun; fruiting Apr–Aug.
Habitat Moist slopes, forest edges. Forests.
Elevation 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) 0–1500 m. (0–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Synthyris schizantha is known from the southern Olympic Mountains in Grays Harbor County and the Cascade Mountains in Lewis County, Washington, and in the vicinity of Saddle Mountain in Clatsop County, Oregon.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 304. FNA vol. 17, p. 303.
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. reniformis, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, 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. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Veronica schizantha Wulfenia reniformis, Veronica regina-nivalis
Name authority Piper: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 223. (1902) (Douglas ex Bentham) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 454. (1846)
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