Lewisia oppositifolia

(S. Watson) B. L. Robinson in A. Gray et al.

in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1: 268. 1897.

Endemic
Basionym: Calandrinia oppositifolia S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 20: 355. 1885
Synonyms: Oreobroma oppositifolium (S. Watson) Howell
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 483. Mentioned on page 477, 482.

Taproots gradually ramified distally. Stems erect, basal nodes underground, 10–20 (–25) cm. Leaves: basal leaves withering at or soon after anthesis, abruptly narrowed into broad petiole, blade linear-spatulate to linear-oblanceolate, flattened, 4–11 cm, margins entire, apex obtuse to subacute; cauline leaves opposite, in 1–3 pairs near stem base, smaller than and similar to basal leaves. Inflorescences racemose to subumbellate cymes, (1–) 2–5 (–6) -flowered; bracts alternate proximally, 1–many at each flowering node distally, lanceolate, 4–8 mm, margins entire or toothed at apex, apex acute to acuminate. Flowers pedicellate, not disarticulate in fruit; sepals 2, suborbiculate, 4–8 (–10) mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins coarsely toothed but not glandular, apex obtuse to rounded; petals 8–11, pink fading to white, oblanceolate to obovate, 9–15 mm; stamens 8–18; stigmas 3–5; pedicel 20–75 mm. Capsules 5–6 mm. Seeds 5–15, 1–1.8 mm, shiny, smooth.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Decomposed serpentine substrates
Elevation: 300-1300 m

Discussion

Lewisia oppositifolia is known only from Del Norte County, California, and Josephine County, Oregon.

The floral symmetry of Lewisia oppositifolia may be somewhat elliptical, the outer two petals alternating with the sepals and the remaining petals imbricate and opposite the sepals, giving the flowers a pinched appearance, a feature also reported for L. nevadensis. The more diminutive, higher-elevation plants of L. oppositifolia possibly represent a distinct taxon that has been informally recognized as “Lewisia richeyi” (B. Mathew 1989b).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"broad" is not a number."broad" is not a number.

... more about "Lewisia oppositifolia"
obtuse +  and rounded +
Mark A. Hershkovitz +  and Sean B. Hogan +
(S. Watson) B. L. Robinson in A. Gray et al. +
ephemeral +  and evergreen +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br />) +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
Calandrinia oppositifolia +
occasionally dentate;crisped +
linear-spatulate +  and linear-oblanceolate +
persistent +
1 +  and many +
lanceolate +
subequal +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
circumscissile +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +
enlarged +
gradually +  and sessile +
subumbellate +
Calif. +  and Oreg. +
300-1300 m +
disarticulate in fruit +  and persistent +
Decomposed serpentine substrates +
(1-)2-5(-6)-flowered +
terminal +  and axillary +
exstipulate +  and secund +
subrosulate +, rosulate +, alternate +, subopposite +  and opposite +
cauline +  and basal +
toothed +  and entire +
scarious +  and herbaceous +
plurilocular +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (7.5 cm75 mm <br />0.075 m <br />) +
pink fading +  and white +
connate +  and distinct +
oblanceolate +  and obovate +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
linear-spatulate +  and linear-oblanceolate +
Flowering spring. +
in A. Gray et al., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. +
estrophiolate +
black +  and brown +
5 +  and 15 +
sculptured +  and smooth +
sculpted +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (?) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
persistent +
suborbiculate +
subequal +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
distinct +  and scarcely connate and/or adnate +
8 +  and 18 +
branched +, simple +  and scapelike +
deciduous +
3 +  and 5 +
Oreobroma oppositifolium +
Lewisia oppositifolia +
species +
fleshy +  and succulent +
15 +, 14 +, 13 +, 12 +, 11 +  and 10 +