James Reveal   Plants

Oregon Checkerbloom
Sidalcea oregana (Nutt. ex Torr. & Gray) Gray

A perennial herb with a taproot and upright stems branched, up to 4 1/2 feet tall, usually with star-shaped hairs. The leaves are alternate, palmately divided, the lower leaves deeply lobed, with each lobe again divided, the upper leaves more deeply lobed with narrow divisions, up to 4 inches across, with star-shaped hairs; lower leaves on long stalks. There are many flowers in a spike-like raceme, up to 2 inches across, pink to rose-purple; bracts usually absent; flower stalks up to 1/2 inch long. Flowers have petals free from each other. The fruits are up to 1/8 inch long with a very short beak. The Oregon Checker Mallow is located from sagebrush to wet meadows and into the redwood forest.  It flowers from June through September. It is widely disbursed throughout the Western U. S.

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