Sidalcea candida

A. Gray

Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. 4: 24. 1849.

Common names: White checkerbloom
Endemic
Synonyms: Sidalcea candida var. glabrata C. L. Hitchcock S. candida var. tincta Cockerell
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 328. Mentioned on page 320, 322, 329.

Herbs, perennial, 0.3–1 m, ± glaucous, with rhizomes wide-spreading, compact to elongate, 5 mm diam. Stems single, clustered in older plants, erect, sometimes branched distally, solid, glabrous or moderately hirsute, hairs retrorse, simple proximally, becoming ± finely stellate-hairy distally. Leaves basal and mostly cauline, not evenly arrayed; stipules deciduous, ovate, 10 × 2–2.5 mm; petiole (4–)6–18 cm, usually 1/2 times to as long as blade; petals often not overlapping, white to pale pinkish, drying yellowish, 10–20 mm; staminal column 6–9 mm, hairy; anthers bluish pink; stigmas 6–9. Schizocarps 5–7 mm diam.; mericarps 6–9, 3–5.5 mm, sides smooth or slightly reticulate-veined, back less so, not pitted, top minutely hairy, mucro 0.5–0.8 mm. Seeds 2 mm. 2n = 20.


Phenology: Flowering (May–)Jun–Aug(–Sep).
Habitat: Moist stream banks and meadows, mountains
Elevation: (1400–)2000–3200 m

Distribution

V6 595-distribution-map.jpg

Colo., Nev., N.Mex., Utah, Wyo.

Discussion

Sidalcea candida is one of the more eastern species of Sidalcea (along with S. neomexicana) and is also one of the more easily distinguished because of its relatively large, crowded flowers with white petals, deep, wide-spreading rhizomes, pinkish-blue anthers, and nearly glabrous stems and leaves. It has become a popular garden plant. Hitchcock recognized two varieties based on calyx indument, var. candida with the calyx uniformly hairy, and var. glabrata with the calyx much more hairy at the base than on the lobes. Cockerell distinguished plants with somewhat pink petals as var. tincta. These differences do not appear to be taxonomically significant, and the varieties lack geographic coherence.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Sidalcea candida"
Steven R. Hill +
A. Gray +
White checkerbloom +
Colo. +, Nev. +, N.Mex. +, Utah +  and Wyo. +
(1400–)2000–3200 m +
Moist stream banks and meadows, mountains +
Flowering (May–)Jun–Aug(–Sep). +
Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, n. s. +
Sidalcea candida var. glabrata +  and S. candida var. tincta +
Sidalcea candida +
Sidalcea +
species +