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Synthyris schizantha

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

alpine kittentail or besseya, alpine kittentails

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.

strictly annual, disintegrating in 1st year;

blade ovate to slightly cordate, sometimes oblong, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base cuneate, truncate, cordate, or lobate, margins crenate, teeth apices acute, surfaces glabrous or sparsely hairy;

basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 3–6 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.

erect, to 10 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 5–14, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

flowers 100+, densely aggregated (separating in fruit).

Stamens

epipetalous.

inserted on receptacle.

Ovaries

ovules 2–7.

ovules 17–40.

Capsules

glabrous or sparsely hairy along margins.

glabrous.

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, bluish purple, lavender, or reddish, bilabiate, ± rudimentary, tubular, longer than calyx, glabrous, lateral and abaxial petals of abaxial lip connate 1/2+ their lengths, tube absent.

Synthyris schizantha

Synthyris alpina

Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting May–Aug. Flowering May–Aug; fruiting Jun–Sep.
Habitat Moist slopes, forest edges. Stony alpine meadows or fellfields.
Elevation 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) 2800–4300 m. (9200–14100 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
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from FNA
CO; NM; UT; WY
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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.)

Synthyris alpina is a host plant for checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas anicia), which consumes leaves and sequesters iridoid glycosides (K. M. L’Empereur and F. R. Stermitz 1990). Flowering in plants of S. alpina begins at the margins of melting snow banks.

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 304. FNA vol. 17, p. 298.
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. 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. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Veronica schizantha Besseya alpina, Veronica besseya
Name authority Piper: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 223. (1902) A. Gray: Amer. J. Sci. Arts, ser. 2, 34: 251. (1862)
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