Sphaeralcea wrightii

Plants perennial. Stems ascending to erect, gray-green, 2–5(–7.5) dm, canescent to tomentose. Leaf blades gray-green, widely ovate or triangular to orbiculate, all but proximalmost deeply pedately divided, (1–)2–4 cm, not rugose, base truncate to cordate, margins entire, surfaces stellate-pubescent. Inflorescences racemose or paniculate, narrow, open, few–many-flowered, tip not leafy; involucellar bractlets green to tan. Flowers: sepals 6–7 mm, not forming beak; petals lavender, red-orange, or pink, 10–13.5(–18) mm; anthers yellow or purple. Schizocarps hemispheric to truncate-conic; mericarps 12–15, 4–7 × 2.5–3 mm, chartaceous, nonreticulate dehiscent part 55–65% of height, with prominent ventral beak, tip acutish, cuspidate, indehiscent part not wider than dehiscent part, sides prominently reticulate. Seeds 2 per mericarp, black, pubescent. 2n = 20.

Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Dry rocky areas
Elevation: 1200 m

Ariz., N.Mex., Tex., Mexico (Chihuahua).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa