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Synthyris schizantha

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

Wyoming besseya, Wyoming kitten-tails, Wyoming 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 to narrowly lanceolate to ovate, 25+ mm wide, leathery, base cuneate, rounded, lobate, or cordate, margins crenate or incised-crenate, teeth apices acute to rounded, surfaces hairy;

basal veins extending into distal 1/2 of blade, lateral veins 3–8 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 47 cm in fruit;

sterile bracts 10–25, ovate to 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.

densely hairy.

Sepals

4.

2–4, all lobes connate, if 2+ lobes, then connate for at least 1/2 of length on abaxial side.

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.

0.

Synthyris schizantha

Synthyris wyomingensis

Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting May–Aug. Flowering Apr–Jul; fruiting May–Aug.
Habitat Moist slopes, forest edges. Montane, subalpine, and alpine grasslands, open, coniferous forests.
Elevation 900–1400 m. (3000–4600 ft.) 1000–3700 m. (3300–12100 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NE; SD; UT; WY; AB; BC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
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 wyomingensis is highly variable over its wide elevational and geographic ranges. Populations in the northern and western part of the range have bluish purple stamens; those in the southeastern part of the range have white to whitish yellow stamens. Tetraploid (2n = 48) populations are known only from the Bridger Mountains, Montana; populations from elsewhere are diploid 2n = 24 (C. G. Schaack 1983).

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

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 304. FNA vol. 17, p. 304.
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. ritteriana, S. rubra, S. schizantha
Synonyms Veronica schizantha Wulfenia wyomingensis, Besseya wyomingensis, Veronica wyomingensis
Name authority Piper: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 223. (1902) (A. Nelson) A. Heller: Muhlenbergia 1: 5. (1900)
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