Lewisia cotyledon

(S. Watson) B. L. Robinson

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

Endemic
Basionym: Calandrinia cotyledon S. Watson Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 20: 355. 1885
Synonyms: Oreobroma cotyledon (S. Watson) Howell
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 480. Mentioned on page 477, 481.

Taproots gradually ramified distally. Stems ascending to suberect, 10–12(–30) cm. Leaves: basal leaves evergreen, sessile or abruptly or gradually narrowed to broad petiole, blade oblanceolate, obovate, spatulate, or rarely ± linear or ± orbiculate, ± flattened, 3–14 cm, margins entire, crisped, or toothed, apex truncate, emarginate, retuse, or rounded; cauline leaves alternate, intergrading with bracts, blade oblong to ovate, 5–10 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute to occasionally obtuse. Inflorescences dense, paniculate to subumbellate cymes, 10–50-flowered; bracts alternate or opposite proximally, 2 at each flowering node distally, obovate to lanceolate, 2–4 mm, margins glandular-toothed, apex acute. Flowers pedicellate, not disarticulate in fruit; sepals 2, suborbiculate to broadly ovate, 4–6 mm, herbaceous at anthesis, margins glandular-toothed, apex obtuse to truncate; petals 7–10, usually pink-purple with pale and darker stripes, less often white, cream with pink-orange stripes, ± orange, or yellow, oblanceolate, obovate, or spatulate, (8–)12–20 mm; stamens 5–12; stigmas 2–4; pedicel 2–5 mm. Capsules 3–5 mm. Seeds 4–15, 1.5 mm, shiny, smooth.

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

The varieties occasionally co-occur. Natural hybrids with Lewisia leeana are known (see discussion under 8. L. leeana).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Basal leaf blade margins entire or slightly undulate, not toothed or crisped; petals (8-)12-14 mm Lewisia cotyledon var. cotyledon
1 Basal leaf blade margins strongly crisped or toothed; petals 12-20 mm > 2
2 Basal leaf blade margins toothed. Lewisia cotyledon var. heckneri
2 Basal leaf blade margins strongly crisped Lewisia cotyledon var. howellii