[The Miner's Lettuce and Purslane Families East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Springbeauties East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Claytonia

Alpine Springbeauty: Claytonia megarhiza var. bellidifolia

Alpine Springbeauty: Claytonia megarhiza var. bellidifolia

Sand Springbeauty, Snake Canyon Springbeauty: Claytonia arenicola (Synonym: Montia arenicola) -

Broad-leaf Springbeauty, Broad-leaved Springbeauty, Broad-leaf Montia, Heart-leaf Springbeauty: Claytonia cordifolia (Synonyms: Claytonia sibirica var. cordifolia, Montia cordifolia) - Attractive wildflower with heart-shaped basal leaves and nickel-sized white or pink flowers. 5 petals. The petals are white and usually over 8 mm long. The flower stems extend at least 5 cm above the pair of rounded stem leaves (which are not joined). The basal leaves are long petiolate with broadly ovate leaves.

Pale Montia, Pale Springbeauty, Serpentine Springbeauty: Claytonia exigua ssp. exigua (Synonyms: Claytonia spathulata, Claytonia spathulata var. exigua, Claytonia spathulata var. spathulata, Montia spathulata, Montia spathulata var. exigua, Montia spathulata var. spathulata) - Annual. Plants generally with numerous, long petiolate but narrow (linear to narrowly spatulate) basal leaves. Pair of stem leaves distinct or fused but cleft (partly or fully) on one side into a horn shape. Petals 2-6 mm long. Inflorescence up to 1.5 cm byond the pair of stem leaves.

Glaucous Springbeauty, Pallid Claytonia: Claytonia exigua ssp. glauca (Synonyms: Montia perfoliata ssp. glauca, Montia perfoliata var. glauca) - Annual. Plants generally with numerous, long petiolate but narrow (linear to narrowly spatulate) basal leaves. Stem leaves perfoliate. Petals 2-3 mm long.

Lanceleaf Springbeauty, Western Springbeauty, Western Spring Beauty: Claytonia lanceolata (Synonyms: Claytonia caroliniana, Claytonia caroliniana var. piersonii, Claytonia lanceolata ssp. chrysantha, Claytonia idahoensis, Claytonia lanceolata var. lanceolata, Claytonia lanceolata var. piersonii, Claytonia lanceolata var. sessilifolia, Claytonia sessilifolia) - Plants with 2-4 leaves. Leaves sessile to very short petiolate. Petals 5-12 mm long.

Alpine Springbeauty, Fell Fields Claytonia: Claytonia megarhiza (Synonyms: Claytonia arctica, Claytonia arctica var. megarhiza, Claytonia megarhiza var. bellidifolia, Claytonia megarhiza var. megarhiza, Claytonia megarhiza var. nivalis) - The numerous leaves are in basal rosettes with each leaf oblanceolate. Plants of dry talus and gravels in alpine habitats.

Wenatchee Springbeauty: Claytonia megarhiza var. nivalis (Synonyms: Claytonia arctica, Claytonia arctica var. megarhiza, Claytonia megarhiza var. megarhiza, Claytonia megarhiza var. nivalis) -

Sierra Springbeauty, Sierran Spring Beauty: Claytonia nevadensis - The several to eight leaves are basal but not in rosettes. Theleaves are elliptic to ovate. Plants of alpine streambeds or in gravels beneath snowbanks.

Linear-leaved Springbeauty, Streambank Springbeauty: Claytonia parviflora ssp. parviflora (Synonyms: Claytonia perfoliata var. parviflora, Montia parviflora, Montia perfoliata var. parviflora) - Annual. Basal leaf blades usually linear or narrowly spatulate, the blade much longer than wide. Stem leaves fully perfoliate, 2-10 cm in diameter. Petals 2-8 mm diameter with white or pink petals. Inflorescence 1-bracteate.

Cuban Spinach, Miner's Lettuce, Winter Purslane: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. intermontana (Synonym: Claytonia perfoliata var. intermontana) - Annual. Basal leaf rosettes suberect to flattened, 2-30 cm. Basal leaf blades ovate to broadly rhombic, apex obtuse. Leaf blades often beet red, gray-green, or purplish. Stem leaf pairs perfoliate, the margins notched or deeply cleft. Stem leaf blade 1-5 cm diameter.

Miner's Lettuce: Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata (Synonyms: Claytonia perfoliata var. angustifolia, Claytonia perfoliata var. perfoliata, Limnia perfoliata, Montia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata, Montia perfoliata var. perfoliata) - Annual/Perennial. Basal leaf rosettes erect, 20-50 cm. Basal leaf blades oblanceolate, ovate, or deltate. Blade tips with obtuse apex. Pair of stem leaves perfoliate, fused equally about the scape with entire margins. Stem leaf blade 1-10 cm diameter. Petals generally less than 6 mm long, occasionally up to 8 mm long. Inflorescence generally extending at least 2 cm past the disk of fused stem leaves. Basal leaves all about the same length.

Cushion Miner's Lettuce, Rosetted Springbeauty: Claytonia rubra ssp. depressa (Synonyms: Claytonia parviflora var. depressa, Claytonia perfoliata var. depressa, Montia perfoliata var. depressa) - Plants generally with numerous, long petiolate basal leaves which lay flat against the ground or are suberect. Petals 2-3 mm long. Similar to Claytonia perfoliata except the pair of stem leaves are fused more on one side of the stem than the other. The inflorescence generally extends only up to 1.5 cm beyond the pair of stem leaves. Plants are often reddish tinged. In this variety the basal leaf blade is lanceolate, spatulate, rhombic or ovate and the base of the blade tapers gradually to the petiole.

Erubescent Miner's Lettuce, Red Miner's Lettuce, Redstem Springbeauty: Claytonia rubra ssp. rubra (Synonyms: Montia perfoliata (in part), Montia rubra) - Plants generally with numerous, long petiolate basal leaves which lay flat against the ground or are suberect. Petals 2-3 mm long. Similar to Claytonia perfoliata except the pair of stem leaves are fused more on one side of the stem than the other. The inflorescence generally extends only up to 1.5 cm beyond the pair of stem leaves. Plants are often reddish tinged. In this variety, the leaf blade is spade shaped with the base of the leaf narrowing abruptly to the petiole.

Candyflower, Candy Flower, Siberian Springbeauty: Claytonia sibirica var. sibirica (Synonyms: Claytonia heterophylla, Claytonia sibirica var. bulbifera, Claytonia sibirica ssp. sibirica, Claytonia sibirica var. heterophylla, Claytonia sibirica var. sibirica, Montia heterophylla, Montia sibirica, Montia sibirica var. bulbifera, Montia sibirica var. heterophylla, Montia sibirica var. sibirica) - Annual/perennial. Plants generally with numerous, long petiolate basal leaves 3-20 cm long, the blades linear, lanceolate or deltate. Pair of stem leaves sessile, unfused. Stem leaves broadly lanceolate to ovate, 1-5 cm long. Petals 6-14 mm long and white, pink, or candy-striped. Inflorescence extends at least 2 cm (and often up to 20-30 cm) past the paired stem leaves and is multibracteate.

Great Basin Springbeauty, Umbellate Springbeauty: Claytonia umbellata - Perennial. Basal leaves either absent or petiolate, 5-25 cm long, the blades elliptic to rhombic. Stem leaves petiolate with elliptic to ovate blades, the blades abruptly tapered at the base. Petals 6-12 mm long, pink or magenta. Inflorescence ebracteate.


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