Sidalcea oregana
| Sidalcea oregana | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Sidalcea |
| Species: | S. oregana |
| Binomial name | |
| Sidalcea oregana (Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray) A. Gray | |
Sidalcea oregana is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family known by the common name Oregon checkerbloom. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Utah, where it grows in a number of moist habitat types, such as marshes and meadows. The plant is somewhat variable in appearance, and the species is divided into a few subspecies; some authors also recognize varieties within subspecies. In general, this is a perennial herb growing to maximum heights well over one meter from a woody taproot. It is usually hairy in texture, the hairs thick and bristly toward the base of the stem. Most of the leaves are located low on the stem. Their blades are usually deeply divided into lobes; upper leaves may be divided further into leaflets. The inflorescence is a dense or open spikelike raceme of many flowers. Each flower has five pink petals up to 2 centimeters long.
One variety of this plant, the Wenatchee Mountains checkermallow (Sidalcea oregana var. calva), is a rare taxon endemic to the Wenatchee Mountains of Washington. It is federally listed as an endangered species.
Other rare subtaxa include ssp. eximia (coast checkerbloom), which is known from about ten occurrences in northern California,[1] and ssp. valida (Kenwood Marsh checkerbloom), which is also federally designated as an endangered species. It is known only from two marshes in Sonoma County, California.[2]