Bitterroot, Purslane Family

Bitterroot east of Reno, Nevada White bitterroot flower with pink bud Tweet This bitterroot plant was found next to a trail traveling across a south-facing slope above Hidden Valley Regional Park (May 9, 2015), hours after the area got some rain. Bitteroot occasionally occurs in these mountain ranges east of Sparks and Reno, including the gravelly sagebrush slopes around Mount Davidson further south. The large, spectacular flower on a short, leafless stem shows the beige-to-pink anthers inside the corolla of white petals. The sepals, which are seen protecting the left-side flower bud and being ready to unfold, are colored pink. The low-growing bitterroot (Lewesia rediviva) often appears isolated—with no or only a few other plant species nearby—in dry, sandy soil as it is common on rocky flats and slopes in the Great Basin. Therefore, bitterroot has the descriptive synonym sand rose. However, it does not belong to the rose family (Rosaceae), but to the purslane family (Portulacaceae). Custom Search

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