Sphaeralcea munroana
Synonyms: Sphaeralcea munroana ssp. munroana, Sphaeralcea munroana ssp. subrhomboidea, Sphaeralcea munroana var. munroana, Sphaeralcea munroana var. subrhomboidea
The
photo at right shows white-stemmed globe-mallow as seen along Oregon Highway 74
at MP 49 just east of Heppner, OR...............May 26, 2002.
White-stemmed globe-mallow is an attractive perennial wildflower due to the attractive gray foliage and strikingly colorful flowers. It is a multi-stemmed perennial with spreading to erect stems arising from 20-80 cm high from a woody base. The stems may be simple or branched. The herbage consists of star-shaped hairs which give the stem and leaves a gray-green to grayish appearance. The leaves are found on the stems and are kidney-shaped to ovate-triangular with 3-5 shallow lobes, or some leaves with rounded to acute teeth. The leaf blade ranges from 2-6 cm long with the petiole as long or longer.
The flowers are found singly or in small clusters from the upper leaf axils. The pedicels are typically shorter than the calyx. The calyx measures 7-8 mm long with lanceolate to ovate lobes. The calyx is typically covered with gray, star-shaped hairs. The calyx bracteoles are linear and usually number 3. The petals are apricot-pink to reddish and measure 1-2 cm long.
White-stemmed globe-mallow may be found in open, dry habitats from the desert plains to lower elevations in the mountains.
White-stemmed globe-mallow may be found from south-central British Columbia south to the east of the Cascade Mts. through Oregon to California and east to western Montana and Utah.
--- 
