Key to Mertensia

View taxon page for Mertensia

(For a list of species in Mertensia, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Corolla 6–10 mm, tube < calyx; nw KR ..... M. bella

1' Corolla 10–25 mm, tube > calyx; CaRH, SNH, GB

2. Plant ± sparse-spreading-hairy ..... M. cusickii

2' Plant glabrous to ± 

strigose 

With stiff, straight, sharp, appressed hairs.

3. Plant 4–15 dm; lateral veins of cauline leaves conspicuous; wet places in mtns; flower Jun–Aug ..... M. ciliata var. stomatechoides

3' Plant generally < 4(5) dm; lateral veins of cauline leaves obscure; generally spring-moist places of plains, foothills; flower Apr–Jun

4. Basal leaves rare on flowering plants; cauline leaves generally 1.5–4 × longer than wide; corolla limb 0.3–0.5(0.6) × tube; stems generally 1–2, from shallow, tuber-like root ..... M. longiflora

4' Basal leaves generally well developed on flowering plants; cauline leaves generally 2.5–7 × longer than wide; corolla limb 0.5–0.8 × tube; stems many, from large fleshy taprooted 

caudex 

Generally short, sometimes woody, more or less vertical stem of a perennial, at or beneath ground level.

..... M. oblongifolia

5. Leaf 

blade 

Expanded portion of a leaf, petal, or other structure, generally flat but sometimes rolled, cylindric, wavy, or cupped.

± glabrous; stem generally < 20 cm ..... var. nevadensis

5' Leaf blade hairy 1 or both surfaces; stem generally > 20 cm

6. Leaf blade hairy both surfaces ..... var. amoena

6' Leaf blade hairy adaxially ..... var. oblongifolia

Please use this Google Form for Contact/Feedback

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on .

We encourage links to these pages, but the content may not be downloaded for reposting, repackaging, redistributing, or sale in any form, without written permission from The Jepson Herbarium.