Lewisia rediviva

Taproots gradually ramified distally. Stems procumbent to erect, 1-3 cm. Leaves: basal leaves withering at or soon after anthesis, sessile, blade linear to clavate, subterete or grooved adaxially, 0.5-5 cm, margins entire, apex obtuse to subacute; cauline leaves absent. Inflores-cences with flowers borne singly; bracts 4-7(-8), whorled, subulate to linear-lanceolate, 4-10 mm, margins entire, apex acuminate. Flowers pedicellate, disarticulate in fruit; sepals (4-)6-9, broadly elliptic to ovate, 10-25 mm, scarious after anthesis, margins entire to somewhat erose, apex obtuse to rounded; petals 10-19, usually rose to pink, sometimes lavender, sometimes with paler or white centers, or wholly white, elliptic, oblong, or narrowly oblanceolate, 15-35 mm; stamens 20-50; stigmas 4-9; pedicel (1-)3-15(-30) mm. Capsules 5-6 mm. Seeds 6-25, 2-2.5 mm, shiny, minutely papillate. 2n = 26, 28.

Native Americans commonly ate the boiled roots of Lewisia rediviva.

LEAVES: linear, cylindrical, 1.0-1.4 cm long, 1.5-2 mm wide. TAPROOT: 6.0 - 8.3 cm long. LEAVES: withering at anthesis, sessile, linear to oblanceolate, acute to rounded at apex. STEMS: prostrate to erect, 1.0-4.8 cm tall. FLOWERS: 1-7; sepals 6-8, ovate, 0.9-1.7 cm long; petals 10-15, creamy-pink, 1-2.2 cm long; stamens 20-50; styles 4-9. CAPSULE: 5-6 mm long. SEEDS: 2-2.1 mm long. -2 vars. in western N. Amer. (1 in AZ). Var. rediviva — NOTES: Rocky substrates in pinyon-juniper woodlands: Coconino Co.; 1676-1850 m (5,500-6,069 ft); May-June; CA, CO, MO (w U.S.). REFERENCES: Allison Bair, Marissa Howe, Daniela Roth, Robin Taylor, Tina Ayers, and Robert W. Kiger., 2006, Vascular Plants of Arizona: Portulacaceae. CANOTIA 2(1): 1-22.