[The Saxifrage Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Alumroots

The Genus Heuchera in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

roundleaf alumroot (Heuchera cylindrica var. cylindrica)

The inflorescence of roundleaf alumroot (Heuchera cylindrica var. cylindrica)

Green-flowered Alumroot, Meadow Alumroot, Tall Alumroot Heuchera chlorantha - Racemes of closely spaced, tiny white or green flowers. Leaves basal with orbicular, lobed blades. Leaf petioles hairy and several times longer than leaf blades.

Alpine Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. alpina (Synonyms: Heuchera cylindrica var. orbicularis, Heuchera cylindrica var. ovalifolia, Heuchera ovalifolia, Heuchera ovalifolia var. ovalifolia, Heuchera ovalifolia var. thompsonii) -

Roundleaf Alumroot Heuchera cylindrica var. cylindrica (Synonym: Heuchera saxicola) - Thick poker-like spike of creamy bell-shaped flowers well above the maple-like leaves. Petioles not hairy and about as long as the leaf blades. Racemes of closely spaced flowers. Could be confused with Heuchera grossulariifolia.

Beautiful Alumroot: Heuchera cylindrica var. glabella (Synonym: Heuchera glabella) - Collected near Hood River (2004).

Alpine Alumroot, Alpine Heuchera, Smooth Alumroot, Alpine Alumroot Heuchera glabra - Flowers tiny, white in an open, spreading panicle. Leaves maple-like with 5-7 deeply cleft lobes. Stems and petioles hairless. Petioles have 2-lobed stipules at their base with only a few hairs on their margins. Similar to Heuchera micrantha.

Currant-leaf Alumroot, Gooseberryleaf Alumroot Heuchera grossulariifolia var. tenuifolia (Synonym: Heuchera tenuifolia) - Basal leaves orbicular heart-shaped to spatulate and from 3-7 cm wide. Margins lobed, the lobes with smaller teeth or clefts. Petals generally shorter than the sepals. Calyx narrowly bell-shaped with lanceolate lobes (sepals). Could be confused with Heuchera cylindrica.

Pacific Alumroot, Smallflower Alumroot: Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia (Synonyms: Heuchera diversifolia, Heuchera micrantha var. pacifica) -

Crevice Alumroot, Smallflower Alumroot, Small-flowered Alumroot Heuchera micrantha var. micrantha - Flowers tiny and white in open, spreading panicles. Leaves maple-like, lobed, and longer than wide. Petioles hairy with 2-lobed stipules (lined with numerous hairs) at their base. Similar to Heuchera glabra.


Paul Slichter