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scadden flat checkerbloom

dwarf checkerbloom, southern checkerbloom

Habit Herbs, perennial, 0.3–0.7 m, not glaucous, with slender, elongated rhizomes to 1 cm diam. Herbs, perennial, 0.2–0.8 m, not glaucous, with thick, fibrous caudex or taproot and short rootstocks, rhizomes developed or not, 3–5 mm diam.
Stems

single or in dense patches, erect, solid, hairy, hairs simple, spreading, bristly.

1–20, clustered, erect to ascending or decumbent, usually not rooting, solid, proximally hairy, hairs simple, stellate, or mixed, 0.5–1.5 mm, distally usually stellate-hairy or glabrous.

Leaves

cauline, evenly arrayed on stem;

stipules asymmetric-ovate and auriculate, 10–20 × 10–20 mm, width exceeding stem diam.;

petioles of proximal leaves 7–10 cm, gradually reduced distally to 2 cm, 1–1 1/2 times blade length proximally to 1/2 blade length distally;

blade ovate to elliptic, unlobed, usually (4–)7–8 × (2.5–)4–5 cm, reduced distally, base cordate, margins crenate-serrate, apex acute to rounded, surfaces glabrous abaxially, sparsely hirsute adaxially.

mostly basal, cauline to 5, (plant sometimes scapose);

stipules linear to lanceolate, 2–8 × 1–1.5 mm;

petioles of basal leaves 5–10(–25) cm, often 5 times blade length, distally reduced to 1/2 times blade length;

blade orbiculate to reniform, 2–6(–8) × 2–6(–8) cm, base cordate, apex rounded, surfaces stellate-hairy abaxially, moderately minutely stellate-hairy to appressed-hairy adaxially, basal leaves usually shallowly 7-lobed, sometimes unlobed and margins crenate, cauline smaller, palmately 3–5-lobed ± to base, lobe margins entire or incised.

Inflorescences

erect, capitate, ± dense, calyces overlapping, unbranched, 2–10-flowered, not elongate, not 1-sided, 3–5 cm;

proximalmost bracts involucrelike, similar to stipules in size and shape, narrowed to linear distally, usually divided to base, 10–20 mm, longer than pedicels, equaling or slightly shorter than calyx.

usually ascending, ± open, calyces not conspicuously overlapping except sometimes in bud, branched or unbranched, 10+-flowered, most flowers spaced 1+ cm apart, elongated, extending well above leaves, narrow, often 1-sided, (15–)30–45 cm;

bracts lanceolate, mostly 2-fid, proximal bracts divided ± to base, distal sometimes undivided.

Pedicels

1–2 mm;

involucellar bractlets 3, 8–12 mm, equaling or longer than calyx.

2–8(–15) mm;

involucellar bractlets absent.

Flowers

bisexual;

calyx 8 mm, sparsely to densely bristly, sometimes also stellate-hairy;

petals pink, usually pale-veined, 15 mm;

staminal column 4–6 mm, hairy;

anthers white;

stigmas 7 or 8.

bisexual or unisexual and pistillate, plants gynodioecious;

calyx 6–10 mm, densely to sparsely stellate-puberulent, hairs usually longer, coarser, 2–4-rayed especially at margins and over veins;

petals pinkish rose to pinkish lavender or magenta, pale-veined or not, base often white, 10–25 mm, pistillate darker, 6–15 mm, bisexual 12–25(–30) mm;

staminal column 5–6 mm, puberulent;

anthers white;

stigmas (6 or)7–9.

Seeds

1.9 mm.

2.5 mm.

Schizocarps

4–5 mm diam.;

mericarps 7 or 8, 2 mm, glabrous, smooth, back with medial line, mucro absent.

5–6 mm diam.;

mericarps (6 or)7–9, 2.5–3 mm, roughened, glandular-puberulent, lightly to moderately reticulate-veined, pitted, mucro 0.5–1 mm.

2n

= 20, 40.

Sidalcea stipularis

Sidalcea sparsifolia

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug. Flowering Mar–Jun(–Sep).
Habitat Marshes Moist, often grassy, open places, often on mesas, chaparral, pine-oak openings
Elevation 700 m (2300 ft) 10–2200 m (0–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Sidalcea stipularis is the most distinctive and easily recognized species of Sidalcea; it is also among the rarest. It is listed as endangered in California. The ovate unlobed leaves are found in no other Sidalcea species. The relatively large stipules, bracts, and involucellar bractlets are also unique in Sidalcea, making the inflorescence appear involucrate. Studies by K. Andreasen and B. G. Baldwin (2001, 2003) suggested that it is one of the basal species within Sidalcea, and it has probably been long isolated. Sidalcea stipularis is known from the northern Sierra Nevada foothills in Nevada County.

Sidalcea stipularis is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

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

Sidalcea sparsifolia intergrades with S. malviflora subsp. californica and S. neomexicana. None of the varieties described within S. malviflora subsp. sparsifolia is recognized here but one or more of them may merit distinction. Along with S. neomexicana, S. sparsifolia is one of the southern species of Sidalcea and one of the more tolerant of hot, dry, desert conditions.

Sidalcea sparsifolia is the most common of the southern California species, occurring in the Sierra Nevada foothills and South Coast Ranges. It has been confused with S. neomexicana and with subspecies of S. malviflora. It can be distinguished from the former by its nonpustulate hairs, fibrous crown, and nonfleshy roots, and from the latter by its inland habitat, larger, ascending inflorescences, and tendency to have mostly basal leaves.

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

Source FNA vol. 6, p. 355. FNA vol. 6, p. 354.
Parent taxa Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sidalcea Malvaceae > subfam. Malvoideae > Sidalcea
Sibling taxa
S. asprella, 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. virgata
S. asprella, 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. stipularis, S. virgata
Synonyms S. malviflora subsp. sparsifolia, S. malviflora var. hirsuta, S. malviflora var. stellata, S. malviflora var. uliginosa
Name authority J. T. Howell & G. H. True: Four Seasons 4(4): 20, fig. 16. (1974) (C. L. Hitchcock) S. R. Hill: Madroño 56: 107. (2009)
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