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Synthyris schizantha

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

Ritters' kittentail

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 broadly elliptic to lanceolate, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base truncate to tapered, margins crenate, teeth apices acute to rounded, surfaces hairy;

basal veins extending through proximal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 5–12 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 40 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 10–40, ovate-spatulate, largest 1+ cm;

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

Stamens

epipetalous.

inserted on receptacle, but abaxial and adaxial petal lips basally adnate to stamens.

Ovaries

ovules 2–7.

glabrous or sparsely hairy at apex;

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), apex entire or erose;

corolla yellow, bilabiate, ellipsoid, longer than calyx, puberulent on margins, lateral and abaxial petals of abaxial lip connate 1/2+ their lengths, abaxial and adaxial petal lips basally adnate to stamens, tube absent.

Synthyris schizantha

Synthyris ritteriana

Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting May–Aug. Flowering May–Aug; fruiting Jun–Oct.
Habitat Moist slopes, forest edges. Moist subalpine or alpine meadows.
Elevation 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) 2100–3800 m. (6900–12500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO
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 ritteriana is known from the San Juan and La Plata mountains, and adjacent areas of Gunnison and Montrose counties on San Juan and Hansen tuffs.

(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. reniformis, S. rubra, S. schizantha, S. wyomingensis
Synonyms Veronica schizantha Besseya ritteriana, Veronica ritteriana
Name authority Piper: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 223. (1902) Eastwood: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 3, 1: 123, plate 9, fig. 2. (1898)
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