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northern kittentail

round-leaf kittentail, snow queen

Leaves

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

blade ovate to cordate, 25+ mm wide, not leathery, base lobate, margins laciniate, teeth apices rounded, surfaces villous, hairs prominent on margins;

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 15 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 3+, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 15–50, loosely aggregated.

decumbent, to 18 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts usually 0;

flowers 5–10, loosely aggregated.

Stamens

epipetalous.

epipetalous.

Ovaries

ovules 10–16.

ovules 4.

Capsules

hairy.

sparsely hairy.

Sepals

4.

4.

Petals

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

corolla blue, ± 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.

2n

= 24.

Synthyris borealis

Synthyris reniformis

Phenology Flowering May–Jul; fruiting May–Sep. Flowering Mar–Jun; fruiting Apr–Aug.
Habitat Tundra heaths, fellfields, talus slopes. Forests.
Elevation 200–2500 m. (700–8200 ft.) 0–1500 m. (0–4900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; NT; YT
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Synthyris borealis is distributed primarily in unglaciated portions of the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alaska.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 299. FNA vol. 17, p. 303.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Synthyris Plantaginaceae > Synthyris
Sibling taxa
S. alpina, 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. 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. plantaginea, S. platycarpa, S. ranunculina, S. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Veronica alaskensis Wulfenia reniformis, Veronica regina-nivalis
Name authority Pennell: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 85: 88, fig. 1. (1933) (Douglas ex Bentham) Bentham: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 10: 454. (1846)
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