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Silver Bladderpod - Physaria ludoviciana
Other Names:
Lesquerella ludoviciana
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Rare in Montana. Primarily a plains species which barely enters eastern Montana where it is restricted to sandy sites. Locally common at one site and threats to the species' viability appear to be minimal at this time.
General Description
Stems ascending, 15–25 cm from a simple caudex. Basal leaves rosulate, erect, linear, 3–7 cm long. Stem leaves similar, reduced upward. Vestiture of 4- to 7-rayed stellate hairs. Petals 6–8 mm long. Fruit globose, 3–4 mm high; style 2–5.5 mm long; seeds 2 to 6 per locule; pedicels curved down, 10–16 mm long
(Lesica 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Silver Bladderpod -
Physaria ludoviciana, SOC
*Pedicles are recurved downward 10-16 mm long.
*Fruits are globose
not 2-lobed, 3-4 mm high
*Basal leaves are erect, linear, 3-7 mm long.
Thick-leaf Bladderpod –
Physaria pachyphylla, SOC
*Pedicels curve upwards (ascend), 3-10 mm long.
*Fruits inflated,
not 2-lobed, and narrowly elliptic to ovoid, 3-6 mm tall. Style is more than half the length of the fruit (silicle).
*Basal leaves have distinct petioles and blades. Blades are spatulate to oblanceolate in shape, nearly 1 mm thick and cupped (but not folded), and with entire margins [key characteristic].
*Plants grow on pinkish or reddish soils derived from limestone on exposed slopes and ridges in valleys.
Species Range
Montana Range
Year-round
Range Comments
MT to MB south to NV, AZ, CO, OK and IL (Lesica 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 59
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Sandy sites on the plains, often around sandstone outcrops.
Ecological Systems Associated with this Species
References
- Additional ReferencesLegend:
View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Al-Shehbaz, I. A. and S. L. O'Kane. 2002. Lesquerella is united with Physaria (Brassicaceae). Novon 12:319-329.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
Quire, R.L. 2013. The sagebrush steppe of Montana and southeastern Idaho shows evidence of high native plant diversity, stability, and resistance to the detrimental effects of nonnative plant species. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 124 p.- Rundquist, V.M. 1973. Avian ecology on stock ponds in two vegetational types in north-central Montana. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 112 p.
- Seipel, T.F. 2006. Plant species diversity in the sagebrush steppe of Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 87 p.
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