[Alumroots East of the Cascade Mts.]
Gooseberryleaf Alumroot, Gooseberryleaved Alumroot, Gooseberry-leaved Alumroot

Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia

Synonym: Heuchera cusickii

Gooseberryleaf Alumroot, Gooseberryleaved Alumroot, Gooseberry-leaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia (Synonym: Heuchera cusickii)

The photo above shows gooseberryleaved alumroot (var. grossulariifolia) as seen on east-facing cliffs to the southwest of the Hells Canyon Scenic Viewpoint along the Hells Canyon Rim Road in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area ...............June 28, 2008.
Characteristics:

Gooseberryleaved alumroot is an attractive perennial wildflower with several leafless flowerings stems arising 15-80 cm high from a cluster of basal leaves. The herbage is typically glandular hairy above but is often subglabrous or glabrous below. The leaf blades are orbicular or kidney-shaped with heart-shaped bases and long petioles which are equal to or generally several times longer than the blades. The blades are typically wider than long and measure 1-7 cm wide. The margins are 5-7 lobed, the lobes sometimes overlapping and with coarse teeth on each lobe.

The inflorescence is a congested spike from 1-6 cm long at flowering time, becoming more open (5-12 cm long) in fruit. The ascending branches of the inflorescence are 2-6 flowered and up to 2 cm long. The asymmetric, bell-shaped calyx is 4-6 mm long with one side longer than the other. The erect calyx lobes are oblong to oval in shape. The white petals vary from shorter than the calyx lobes to about 50% greater than the lobes. They are oblanceolate to spatulate in shape with thin, tapered bases. The petals insert at the base of the sinus between each calyx lobe. The stamens are shorter than the calyx lobes as is the style.

Varieties of Gooseberryleaved Alumroot:

var. grossulariifolia (H. cusickii): Plants typically smaller than below, the scapes generally less than 45 cm high. Leaves typically 1-2.5 cm wide. Sepals shorter than or equal to the petals. Calyx 4-5 mm long. Found from southwestern Montana west across the Snake River Plains of southern Idaho to the Snake River Canyon and northeastern Oregon.

var. tenuifolia: Plants larger than above, the scapes up to 80 cm high. Leaves typically 3-7 cm wide. Sepals longer than the petals. Calyx 5-6.5 mm long. Found in west central Idaho including the Salmon River drainage and also found in the eastern Columbia River Gorge (Klickitat County in Washington and Wasco and Hood River Counties in Oregon).

Habitat:

Gooseberryleaved alumroot may be found on grassy hillsides or on rocky slopes in the lowlands and in talus or rocky ridges in the mountains.

Range:

Gooseberryleaved alumroot may be found from in the eastern Columbia River Gorge, in and near the Wallowa Mts. and Snake River Canyon of northeastern Oregon, and in the Salmon River drainage and across the Snake River plains to southwestern Idaho.

Flower of Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia ----- Inflorescence of Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia ----- Flower of Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia

These 3 photos show close-u views of the flowers of gooseberryleaved alumroot (var. grossulariifolia) as seen on east-facing cliffs to the southwest of the Hells Canyon Scenic Viewpoint along the Hells Canyon Rim Road in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area ...............June 28, 2008. Note the glandular stem within the narrow inflorescence and the short, narrow petals which can be seen between some of the calyx lobes. Note also that the stamens are shorter than the calyx lobes. Click each photo to see an enlarged view (2x).

Leaves of gooseberryleaved alumroot ----- Heuchera grossulariifolia ----- Inflorescence of Heuchera grossulariifolia

The 3 photos above show a cluster of basal leaves (left), a vertical rock wall habitat (center), and close-up of the inflorescence (right) of gooseberryleaved alumroot at seen along the trail between Buckhorn Lookout and Eureka Bar in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.........................June 27, 2008. Click each photo to see an enlarged view.

Leaf of Gooseberryleaf Alumroot, Gooseberryleaved Alumroot, Gooseberry-leaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia (Synonym: Heuchera cusickii)

The photo above shows a close-up of a glabrous leaf of gooseberryleaved alumroot (var. grossulariifolia) as seen on east-facing cliffs at Saddle Creek Viewpoint along Hat Pt. Road in the Hells Canyon N. R. A. of northeastern Oregon...............June 28, 2007.

Gooseberryleaf Alumroot, Gooseberryleaved Alumroot, Gooseberry-leaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia (Synonym: Heuchera cusickii)

The photo above shows gooseberryleaved alumroot (var. grossulariifolia) as seen on east-facing cliffs at Saddle Creek Viewpoint along Hat Pt. Road in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area of northeastern Oregon...............June 28, 2007.

Inflorescence of Gooseberryleaf Alumroot, Gooseberryleaved Alumroot, Gooseberry-leaved Alumroot: Heuchera grossulariifolia var. grossulariifolia (Synonym: Heuchera cusickii)

The photo above shows a close-up of the inflorescence of gooseberryleaved alumroot (var. grossulariifolia) as seen on east-facing cliffs at Saddle Creek Viewpoint along Hat Pt. Road in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area of northeastern Oregon...............June 28, 2007. Note the glandular stem within the narrow inflorescence and the short, narrow petals which can be seen between some of the calyx lobes. Note also that the stamens are shorter than the calyx lobes.
Paul Slichter