Page author: David Giblin
Lithophragma parviflorum
small-flower prairie star, small-flower woodland star
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.

Habitat: Prairies, balds, sagebrush desert, and forest openings, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Apomixis, bumblebees, bees, flies

Description:
General:

Glandular-pubescent perennial from slender rhizomes bearing numerous rice-grain bulblets, the stems 10-30 cm. tall, often purplish- or grayish-tinged above.

Leaves:

Leaves mostly basal, with petioles 2-6 cm. long, the blades 1-3 cm. broad, usually cleft to the base into 5 wedge-shaped segments that are bi-ternately to ternately cleft and lobed; cauline leaves 2, sub-sessile, cleft into narrower segments.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a congested raceme at first, becoming up to 15 cm. long, 5- to 11-flowered; calyx obconic, 4-6 mm. long, the 5 lobes triangular-ovate, 1-2 mm. long and broad; petals white to pinkish, 5-10 mm. long, obovate with a wedge-shaped base, digitally 3-cleft, narrowed abruptly to a short, slender claw.

Fruits:

Ovary nearly completely inferior; carpels 3.

Accepted Name:
Lithophragma parviflorum (Hook.) Nutt.
Publication: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 584. 1840.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Lithophragma parviflora (Hook.) Nutt., orthographic variant [HC]
Lithophragma parviflorum (Hook.) Nutt. var. parviflorum [KZ99]
Tellima parviflora Hook.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Lithophragma parviflorum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Lithophragma parviflorum checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Lithophragma parviflorum information.

E-Flora BC: Lithophragma parviflorum atlas page.

CalPhotos: Lithophragma parviflorum photos.

USDA Plants: Lithophragma parviflorum information.

96 photographs:
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