Bistorta bistortoides (Western Bistort, Ladies Thumb)

7/7/07 Meadow off Hwy. 108 just west of Sonora Pass Historical Marker,

elevation 9,624,' Stanislaus National Forest, Sierra Nevada, Mono County, CA

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Western Bistort, Ladies Thumb

SPECIES: Bistorta bistortoides

FAMILY: Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 7/7/2007

LOCATION: Meadow off Hwy. 108 just west of Sonora Pass Historical Marker, elevation 9,624,' Stanislaus National Forest, Sierra Nevada, Mono County, CA

*******************************************************************************

From Jepson eFlora Taxon Page:

Habit: Perennial herb, rhizomes contorted. 

Stem: (10)20--70 cm, branches 0. 

Leaf: generally basal; ocrea cylindric, 10--25(30) mm, brown, margins oblique, glabrous; petiole 10--30(50) mm; blade 4--30 cm, 1--4.8 cm wide, elliptic to lance-oblong or oblanceolate, base tapered to rounded, generally oblique, abaxially hairs 0 or +- white or +- brown, glaucous, adaxially hairs 0, margins entire, tip generally acute to acuminate; cauline leaves 2--4, petioled proximally, sessile distally, gradually reduced upward; blade elliptic or lanceolate to lance-linear. 

Inflorescence: terminal, spike-like, (10)20--40(50) mm, 10--25 mm wide, short-cylindric to ovoid; peduncle 1--10 cm; pedicel ascending or spreading, 2--10 mm; flowers 1--2. 

Flower: bisexual; perianth 4--5 mm, not enlarging, bell-shaped, glabrous, white or pale pink, parts 5, fused +- 1/5, oblong, tips obtuse to acute; stamens 5--8, exserted, anthers yellow, elliptic. Fruit: 3--4 mm, 1.2--2 mm wide, obovoid, light- or olive-brown, shiny, smooth. 

Ecology: Wet meadows, streambanks, alpine slopes; 

Elevation: 1500--3000 m. 

Bioregional Distribution: CA-FP (uncommon in coastal freshwater marshes, 0--20 m, NCo, n CCo), n SNE;

Distribution Outside California: to Alaska, eastern North America. 

Flowering Time: Jul--Sep 

Synonyms: Polygonum bistortoides Pursh

eFlora Treatment Author: Mihai Costea