Balsamorhiza floccosa Rydb.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Asteraceae

  • Scientific Name

    Balsamorhiza floccosa Rydb.

  • Description

    Species Description - A loosely white or gray-tomentose perennial with very thick tap-root. Leaves mostly basal, floccose on both sides, 2-3 dm. long, regularly pinnately divided to near the midrib: some sometimes only coarsely toothed: segments lanceolate, acute, 3-5 cm. long coarsely toothed: stem-leaves 2, near the base, similar but smaller, about 1 dm. long: stem scapiform, 3-5 dm. high, villous or the upper portion densely floccose: involucre about 3 cm. broad, densely floccose; bracts numerous in several series, lanceolate; the outer often spreading with recurved tips; rays 3-4 cm. long, about 1 cm. wide; achenes glabrous, cuneate oblong, with truncate apex.

  • Discussion

    This species has been mistaken for B. Balsamorrhiza (Hook.) Heller or B. Hookeri Nutt., but the latter has much finer dissected leaves and its pubescence is quite different. The latter is very short and appressed, never consisting of long villous hairs, and there is never dense wool at the base of the head as in this species. B. Balsamorrhiza ranges from Washington to California ; but is evidently not found in the Rocky Mountain region. All that I have seen from the region and referred to B. Balsamorrhiza by Heller, Holzinger and myself belong to B. floccosa. Those collected by Parry, and if I am not mistaken, named by Gray, belong; to B. incana.

    B. floccosa grows on hillsides at an altitude of 1000-2500 m. The following specimens are in the New York herbaria:

    Montana : Spanish Basin, Gallatin Co., 1897, Rydberg & Besso', 5175 (type).

    Idaho : Lake Waha, 1896, A. A. & E. Gertrude Heller, 3298 ; Craig Mountain near Lake Waha, 1892, Sandbcrg, MacDougal & Heller, 248.

    Wyoming : Headwaters of Tongue River, Big Horn Mountains, 1898, F. Tiveedy, 11.

  • Distribution

    Montana, Idaho, Wyoming.

    Montana United States of America North America| Idaho United States of America North America| Wyoming United States of America North America|