Anemone lithophila Rydb.

Authority

New York Botanical Garden. Herbarium of Dr. Per Axel Rydberg. Purchased, 1899. Contributions from the New York Botanical Garden.

Family

Ranunculaceae

Scientific Name

Anemone lithophila Rydb.

Description

Species Description - Perennial with a short thick rootstock: basal leaves several, glabrous or nearly so, thickish, shining, somewhat glaucous; petioles 5-8 cm. long; blades ternate; divisions obovate-cuneate, about 3 cm. long, strongly veined, deeply 3-cleft, again cleft and toothed; the ultimate segments short, oblong-oblanceolate: scape 1-2 dm. high, sparingly pubescent with long silky hairs; involucral leaves subsessile or short-petioled; divisions similar to those of the basal leaves; sepals silky, ochroleucous, tinged with blue, 12-15 mm. long, broadly obovate or oval: achenes densely villous all over; style filiform, about 2 mm. long.

Discussion

The type was growing with A. parviflora at an altitude of 1800 m. As none of the specimens there had well-developed fruit and the plant is intermediate between A. parviflora and A. glohosa Nutt., which also grew in the neighborhood, this species may be a hybrid. The strong veins and shiny glaucous leaves suggest the former but the general leaf-form the latter, although the segments are broader and shorter and the leaves more glabrate. Watson's specimen, which resembles the type perfectly has fully developed fruit, however. The type was labelled A. Tetonensis, which it resembles most in habit ; but the achenes are wooly all over, not merely strigose on the back as in that species and the flowers are larger and lighter. The following specimens are to be referred here :

Montana : Little Belt Mountains, nine miles from Barker, 1896, J. H. Flodman, 459 (type in herb. N. Y. Bot. Garden), and 46J ; Lake Stanton, 1894, R. S. Williams

Distribution

Montana, Utah.

Montana United States of America North America| Utah United States of America North America|