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 Basal leaves Patrick Alexander @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) |  Leaves and stem Patrick Alexander @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) |  Plant Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) | | | |
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Origin:
Native
Life Cycle:
Biennial or perennial
General Desc:
Small, urn-shaped flowers with 4 purple to brownish and spreading petals; thick, firm leaves; flower buds are a deep purple prior to blooming.
Identification notes: Stems simple to branching, usually unbranched, pale green; leaves in basal rosettes and alternate on stems, blades thick, firm; petals purplish to brownish, narrow at base; sepals greenish-brown to purple, flowers aranged equal distances along stems.
Height:
3 feet
Habitat Description: Many types of sagebrush, woodland, and forest habitat in rocky soils among gravel and in crevices.
Plant Communities:
Desert Scrub, Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Montane Conifer Forest
Elevation: 2000 - 8000 feet
Color:
Purplish to brownish
Shape:
Regular in clusters
Tubular:
N
Flowering Period:
Mar - May
Description:
4 petals, 3/4 inch long, purplish to brownish, claw (narrow basal part of petals) purplish; sepals greenish-brown to purple, 1/2 inch long; stamens in 3 unequal pairs.
Leaf Color:
Pale green, bluish-green
Leaf Type:
Simple
Leaf Shape:
Round or oval
Leaf Margin:
Smooth
Leaf Attachment:
Basal and alternate
Leaves Clasp:
N
Hairs:
No
Spines:
N
Leaf Description:
Pale green stems; basal and stem leaves, margins smooth to toothed, bluish-green rosette basal leaves spatula-shaped, to 4 inches long; stem leaves alternate, oblong to ovate, 3/4 to 3-1/2 inches long and 1/2 to 3 inches wide, blades thick, firm.
Fruit Type: Capsule
Fruit Notes: Long cylindrical capsule (silique); smooth, straight, flattened; 2 to 6 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide; splits into 2 halves with prominent midvein.
Seed Notes: Oblong to nearly circular, 1/16 to 1/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide, wings to 1/16 inch wide.
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