Castilleja applegatei var. pallida (Eastw.) N.H.Holmgren

  • Authority

    Holmgren, Noel H. 1971. A taxonomic revision of the Castilleja viscidula group. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 21: 1-63.

  • Family

    Scrophulariaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Castilleja applegatei var. pallida (Eastw.) N.H.Holmgren

  • Description

    Species Description - Caudex exceptionally thick and sometimes branched, its stems 1-3(-4) dm high, often branched. Leaves (1.2-) 1.8-4 cm long, the main leaves narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate, narrowly acute, usually with a pair of slender lateral lobes. Inflorescence relatively narrow. Bracts flistally red, sometimes passing through orange to yellow. Calyx relatively short, 13-20 (-21) mm long, the abaxial cleft 5-8 (-10) mm deep, the adaxial cleft (5-) 6-8 (-10) mm deep, the primary lobes less than 1/2 the calyx length, the segments slightly more than 1/2 the length of the primary lobes, 3-5 (-10) mm long, the margins short ciliate, the tube hispid to sparsely pubescent. Corolla relatively short, 18-26(-28) mm long; galea very short, 6-9 (-10) mm long, decidedly shorter than the tube, dorsally pale green and puberulent, its lateral margins glabrous; lower lip green, 1.5-4 mm long, the teeth dark green to sometimes red-tipped, its pouch purplish, sometimes dark green or brownish; tube (11-) 13-17(-18) mm long, finally villose to sometimes pilose, yellow-green to light brownish, often purple tipped. Stamens shortexserted beyond the galea tip, the upper antliers 1.7-2.5 mm long. Stigma relatively large, 0.45-0.85 mm thick. Capsules (9-) 10-12 mm long, narrow ovoid to ovoid. Chromosome Number: 2n = 4S.

  • Discussion

    Castilleja breweri Fernald, Erythea 6: 49. 1898. California, Tuolumne County, Mount Dana, alt 10-11,000 ft, "dry places," 29 Jun 1863, Brewer 17U (GH, isolyp.s, UC, US).

    Castilleja breweri var pallida Eastwood, Leafl. AV. Bot. 2: 284. 1940. C. glandulifera subsp pallida Pennell in Abrams, Illiis. Fl. Pac. States 3: 832. 1951.

    Castilleja adenophora Eastwood, Leafl. AV. Bot. 3: 87. 1941. Cahfornia, Inyo County, Mono Pass Trail, ca 11,000 ft, 22 Jul 1941, Howell 16400 (CAS 290385, isotypes CAS, GH, PH, US).

    Type. California, Alpine County, Carson Pass, 17 Jun 1940, Eastwood & Howell 8449 (CAS 279902, isotype CAS).

    The geographical range of Castilleja applegatei var pallida is almost surrounded by its nearest relative var fragilis. Adjacent populations of var fragilis appear to be separated from var pallida by their apparent low elevation requirements, although in other non-adiacent regions of the Sierra Nevada var fragilis does extend into similar subalpine and alpine habitats. These high mountain ecotypes of var fragiUs occasionally resemble var pallida vegetatively with stunted stems and occasional narrow, deeply divided leaves. The floral distinctions remain fairly consistent, however. Variety pallida can be distinguished from var fragilis by its shorter galea [6-9 (-10) mm long in comparison to (9-) 10-18 mm long in var fragilis]. Some specimens of var fragilis from the Mount Rose area in Washoe County, Nevada (C. latifoliata Pennell ex Edwin) have the small flowers of var pallida, but the broader leaves reveal its true identity and within the same populations are individuals that are unmistakably var fragilis.

    A collection by Alexander and Kellogg (4189, GH, UC, UTC, WTU) from Sonora Pass shows introgression with C. chromosa A. Nels. This opinion I share with Bacigalupi, whose annotation label indicates this hybrid nature. The Castilleja chromosa parent, in this instance, is at its extreme upper altitude. CastiUeja peirsonii Eastw. was considered to be synonymous with C. breweri by Pennell (1951) and Edwin (1959). Munz (1959) considered them separate species but placed them next to each other as if closely related. From observations in the herbarium and later in the field, I a m of the opinion that it does not belong to the C. viscidula group. It is not only incongruous in gross morphology, it also differs markedly in habitat preference. There is no instance of any species in the C. viscidula group growing in such a wet habitat. I have not reached a conclusion yet as to where C. peirsonii should be placed.

  • Distribution

    Habitat and distribution. Collected in flower from July to early September, on dry rocky, barren talus or scrubby slopes, in red fir forests to alpine fell-fields at elevations from 8000 to 11,200 feet (as low as 7000 feet in the northern part of its range). The Sierra Nevada from southern El Dorado County, south to Fresno and Inyo counties at the head of Big Pine Creek (Fig. 7).

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