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dwarf checkerbloom, Redding checkerbloom

dwarf checkerbloom, harsh checker mallow, harsh checkerbloom

Habit Herbs, perennial, 0.4–0.8(–1) m, sometimes glaucous, with caudex and thick, woody rootstocks, not freely rooting, without rhizomes. Herbs, perennial, 0.1–1(–1.2) m, infrequently ± glaucous, with caudex or not, usually with freely-rooting fibrous rootstocks or rhizomes (5–)10–30 cm × 2–4 mm, matted or not.
Stems

mostly single, usually erect, sometimes branched distally, solid (sometimes hollow in older, robust plants), sometimes glaucous, proximally densely bristly-hairy, hairs reflexed, stiff, simple, sometimes also coarse, 2–3-rayed, stellate, 1–1.6(–2.5) mm, pustulate, sparser distally, with minute, stellate hairs in inflorescence.

usually single, erect and sometimes supported by adjacent plants (sprawling), base prostrate or decumbent-ascending to erect, often rooting, solid, not brittle, sometimes ± glaucous distally, proximally stellate-hairy, glabrate, hairs minute or larger and coarse (never simple only), usually 4-rayed, 0.5–1 mm.

Leaves

mostly basal, some cauline;

stipules usually early-deciduous, linear-lanceolate, 3–7 × 1 mm;

proximal petioles 15–18 cm, 3–4 times as long as blade, distal usually to 1/2 times to as long as blade;

blades: basal rounded, usually palmately 7-lobed, shallowly incised, 4–8 × 4–8 cm, lobes 1.5–2 cm wide, margins crenate-dentate, 3–7-toothed, apices obtuse;

distal 3–10, palmately 5-lobed, deeply incised, 2–6 × 2–6 cm, lobes narrow, linear, 2–3.5 × 2–4 mm, margins entire or 1–5-toothed, surfaces: abaxial stellate-hairy, hairs 6-rayed, 1.5 mm, adaxial hairy, hairs simple, 1.5 mm, distalmost glabrate adaxially and sometimes simple-hairy.

basal and/or cauline, similar in size and shape;

stipules linear to lanceolate, 2–3 × 1.1 mm;

petiole (1–)5–10(–15) cm, longest on proximal leaves, 1–4 times longer on proximal leaves to 1/2 times to as long as blade on distal leaves;

blade usually shallowly to deeply palmately 3–7-lobed usually halfway to base, proximal and distal cauline blades rounded to reniform, 2–3 × 2–5 cm, usually wider than long, base cordate to truncate, margins crenate, apex blunt or rounded, lobes narrowest at base, margins usually apically coarsely toothed, rarely entire, surfaces stellate-puberulent.

Inflorescences

erect, open, calyces not conspicuously overlapping except sometimes in bud, unbranched or branched, (5–)10–12(–23)-flowered, elongate, sometimes 1-sided, 10–40 cm;

bracts lanceolate, usually undivided, 3–4 mm, shorter than pedicels and calyx.

ascending or erect, often spiciform, open, calyces not overlapping in flower or fruit, unbranched or branched, 2–15(–30)-flowered, elongate in both flower and fruit, usually 1-sided, 6–11(–30) cm;

bracts leaflike to linear, usually 2-fid, (2–)3–5(–15) mm.

Pedicels

(3–)5–10(–15) mm;

involucellar bractlets absent.

2–5(–10) mm;

involucellar bractlets absent.

Flowers

usually bisexual, infrequently unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious;

calyx (7–)9–10 mm, to 12–14 mm in fruit, densely stellate-puberulent;

petals pale pinkish lavender, often pale-veined especially when dry, pistillate 10–20 mm, bisexual 20–25(–31) mm;

staminal column 7–8(–10) mm, sparsely puberulent;

anthers white;

stigmas (6)7(8).

bisexual or unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious;

calyx 5–12 mm, uniformly densely stellate-puberulent;

petals pink to pale purple, pale-veined, (5–)10–28 mm, pistillate flowers darker, 5–15 mm;

staminal column 4–5 mm, stellate-puberulent;

anthers white;

stigmas (6 or)7 or 8.

Seeds

2.5 mm.

1.5–2.8 mm.

Schizocarps

6–8 mm diam.;

mericarps (6)7(8), 3–4 mm, minutely glandularpuberulent, glabrescent, margins sometimes sharpedged, roughened, strongly reticulate-veined, sides and back deeply pitted, honeycomblike, median line on back but not furrowed, mucro 1 mm.

6–8 mm diam.;

mericarps (6 or)7 or 8, 3–4 mm, usually glandular-puberulent to stellate-puberulent, sometimes glabrous, roughened, strongly reticulate-veined, sides and back pitted, mucro 0.5–1 mm.

2n

= 60.

Sidalcea celata

Sidalcea asprella

Phenology Flowering May–Jun(–Aug).
Habitat Open oak woodlands, wet sites, sometimes on serpentine
Elevation 100–400(–1600) m (300–1300(–5200) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Sidalcea celata has been recognized as a local species endemic to Shasta and Tehama counties (especially near Redding) in the northern inner North Coast Ranges; it was previously included within S. malviflora. Hitchcock’s concept of S. celata as a subspecies was broader and included plants from additional counties that do not match the type very well; most have been re-identified as S. asprella or S. oregana. Sidalcea celata has been confused with S. asprella, S. gigantea, and S. robusta and appears to be variable. Its narrow distribution, preference for serpentine, typical lack of elongated rhizomes, basally retrorsely hirsute stems, presence of basal leaves, and relatively large bisexual flowers and fruits are distinctive.

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

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

Sidalcea asprella is variable and occurs from the central Sierra Nevada to southwestern Oregon. Typical plants in the central Sierra Nevada have weak, elongated stems that are often supported by neighboring vegetation; they lack simple recurved hairs at the stem base and may have either elongated rhizomes or a caudex. It has been confused with S. celata, S. elegans, S. gigantea, and S. glaucescens; formerly it was included within S. malviflora; molecular study has shown that it is different from S. malviflora. It belongs to a group including S. celata, S. elegans, S. gigantea, and S. hirtipes (K. Andreasen and B. G. Baldwin 2003).

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

Key
1. Plants (0.3–)0.5–1(–1.2) m, with caudex or usually compact rootstocks or rhizomes to 10(–30) cm × 4 mm; leaves mostly cauline; inflorescences 8–15 (–30)-flowered, erect; stems erect, sometimes weak and supported by other vegetation, sometimes proximally decumbent.
subsp. asprella
1. Plants 0.1–0.3(–0.4) m, with rhizomes 5–20 cm × 2(–3) mm; leaves mostly basal; inflorescences usually 2–10(–19)-flowered, ascending; stems decumbent-ascending to erect, sometimes proximally prostrate.
subsp. nana
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 329. FNA vol. 6, p. 325.
Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sidalcea Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sidalcea
Sibling taxa
S. asprella, S. calycosa, S. campestris, S. candida, S. covillei, S. cusickii, S. diploscypha, S. elegans, S. gigantea, S. glaucescens, S. hartwegii, S. hendersonii, S. hickmanii, S. hirsuta, S. hirtipes, S. keckii, S. malachroides, S. malviflora, S. multifida, S. nelsoniana, S. neomexicana, S. oregana, S. pedata, S. ranunculacea, S. reptans, S. robusta, S. setosa, S. sparsifolia, S. stipularis, S. virgata
S. calycosa, S. campestris, S. candida, S. celata, S. covillei, S. cusickii, S. diploscypha, S. elegans, S. gigantea, S. glaucescens, S. hartwegii, S. hendersonii, S. hickmanii, S. hirsuta, S. hirtipes, S. keckii, S. malachroides, S. malviflora, S. multifida, S. nelsoniana, S. neomexicana, S. oregana, S. pedata, S. ranunculacea, S. reptans, S. robusta, S. setosa, S. sparsifolia, S. stipularis, S. virgata
Subordinate taxa
S. asprella subsp. asprella, S. asprella subsp. nana
Synonyms S. malviflora var. celata, S. malviflora subsp. celata S. malviflora subsp. asprella
Name authority (Jepson) S. R. Hill: Madroño 56: 106. (2009) Greene: Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 78. (1885)
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