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Silver Bladderpod - Physaria ludoviciana
Other Names:
Lesquerella ludoviciana
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Physaria ludoviciana is relatively widespread though uncommon in central and eastern Montana. Plants grow in areas of sandy soils. The species appears to be known from at least 40 occurrences; however, mis-identifications may be leading to inaccurate information. Physaria ludoviciana can easily be confused with the more commonly found Physaria arenosa. The lack of voucher specimens or specific photograph documentation tied with measurements prevents observations from being validated. Associated population counts are inconsistently reported, and trends are unknown. Therefore, the state conservation status remains uncertain though the data suggests that plants may be slightly more common than previously thought.
Surveys that bring forth current data on population parameters, habitat conditions, mapping, and potential threats with voucher specimens or appropriate photographs are greatly needed. Reported observations to sites that lacked a voucher specimen or necessary photo documentaion should be revisited to verify the species' identification. Monitoring at a subset of occurences is necessary to track population trends and assign a timely and accurate state conservation status rank.
General Description
PLANTS: A perennial, silvery-green forb with erect basal leaves and ascending single or few, branched stems, 15-25 cm tall, that arise from an unbranched taproot (caudex). Plants are densely pubescent with sessile or short-stalked hairs (trichomes). Hairs are star-shaped (stellate) with 4-7 rays. Each ray splits into 2 branches, once or twice, (furcate). Sources: O'Kane in Flora of North America (FNA) 2010; Lesica et al. 2022
LEAVES: Basal leaves form a rosette (rosulate) and are erect. The inner basal leaves are narrowly lanceolate to linear in shape, often curled (involute), and 3-7 cm long. The outer basal leaves are oblanceolate in shape, usually flat. Leaf margins usually smooth (entire), rarely shallowly dentate. Leaf bases often have simple hairs (trichomes). Stem leaves are alternately arranged and narrowly oblanceolate to linear, (1-)2-4(-8) cm longs and flat to curved. Sources: O'Kane in FNA 2010; Lesica et al. 2022
INFLORESCENCE: A compact raceme of dense, yellow flowers. In fruit, the raceme elongates and becomes loosely arranged. Fruiting stalk (pedicel) is usually curved down (recurved), 10-16 mm long. Sepals are 4. Petals are 4, yellow, oblanceolate or obovate, and 6–8 mm long. Blade gradually narrows to the claw or these parts are not distinguishable. Stamens are 6 (4 long and 2 short). Pistil is singular. Fruits are a globose silicle, 3-4 mm tall. Sources: O'Kane in FNA 2010; Lesica et al. 2022
Phenology
Flowering occurs from April to July (O'Kane in FNA 2010).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Montana has a rich diversity of 17 bladderpod species that includes 4 endemic species. A technical key and mature fruits are necessary to distinguish
Physaria species are distinguished based on the suite of characteristics found in a given population.
The following two species are strong look-alikes that have:
* firm fruits that are not obviously 2-lobed (didymous);
* valves that lack a basal sinus and do not retain the seeds after dehiscence;
* a partition between fruiting lobes (replum) that is as wide or wider than the fruit
* fruiting stems (pedicels) curve downward (recurved)
* styles of 2 or more mm long,
and * basal leaves are relatively narrow, linear to narrowly oblanceolate
Silver Bladderpod -
Physaria ludoviciana, SOC
* Short-lived perennial, 15-25 cm tall.
* Inner basal leaf blades involute and margins entire (rarely shallowly dentate).
* Racemes not secund – fruits orient in all directions around the axis.
* Pedicels are recurved downward, 10-16 mm long.
* Inner basal and stem leaves, narrowly lanceolate to linear. Stem leaves narrowly oblanceolate to linear. Overall, more narrow than Great Plains Bladderpod.
* Habitat: very sandy soil around sandstone outcrops in grassland in the plains zone of Montana (Lesica et al. 2022).
Great Plains Bladderpod -
Physaria arenosa* Annual to short-lived perennial, 5-20 cm tall.
* Inner basal leaf blades flat with entire or dentate margins
* Racemes secund – fruits orient to one-side of the axis
* Pedicels usually sharply recurved, sometimes spreading or nearly horizontal, 5-10 mm long.
* Basal leaves oblanceolate. Cauline leaf blades elliptic to linear. Overall, more broad than Silver Bladderpod.
* Habitat: sparsely vegetated, sandy soil of grasslands and steppe in the plains and valleys zones of Montana (Lesica et al. 2022).
Nomenclature and Taxonomy
Etymology
“Physa” is Greek for 'bladder' which is in reference to the inflated fruits in some species of Physaria (O'Kane in FNA 2010).
Taxonomy
The genera of Physaria and Lesquerella were united under the older name of Physaria by Shehbaz and O'Kane (2002). Scientific naming standards require that the oldest name be preserved; Physaria has been recognized as a genus since 1838 while Lesquerella was established in 1888 (Shehbaz and O'Kane 2002).
These genera were originally separated by Rollins in his publication, Cruciferae of Continental North America (1993). Rollins separated Physaria as being plants with strongly didymous fruits which have a deep sinus between the valves, and are compressed perpendicular to the replum (Shehbaz and O'Kane 2002). Rollins separated Lesquerella as plants having non-didymous fruits which have only a shallow to no distal sinus, and are compressed parallel to the replum or lack compression (Shehbaz and O'Kane 2002). However, the increasing amount of molecular, morphological, distributional, and ecological data do not support the distinctions put forth by Rollins (1993). Most of the members of Lesquerella now belong to the genus Physaria. The exception are species which possess auriculate-leaves and these were placed into the genus Paysonia (O’Kane in FNA 2010). Physaria and Lesquerella are indistinguishable in almost every morphological aspect and are monophyletic (descended from a single taxon) (Shehbaz and O'Kane 2002; O’Kane in FNA 2010).
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Silver Bladderpod occurs from Montana to Manitoba and south to Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois (O'Kane in FNA 2010; Lesica et al. 2022).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 74
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Silver Bladderpod grows in very sand soil around sandstone outcrops in grasslands within the plain zone in Montana (Lesica et al. 2022).
National Vegetation Classification System Groups Associated with this Species
Grassland
Lowland - Prairie Grassland
Reproductive Characteristics
Plants reproduce by seed.
FLOWERS
Perfect (contain male and female organs). Sepals, 4, oblong to broadly elliptic in shape, and 4-7(8) mm long. Lateral pair subsaccate. Median pair cucullate. Petals, 4, yellow, oblanceolate or obovate in shape, and 6–8 mm long. The blade gradually narrows to the claw or these parts are not distinguishable. Pistil has a 2-chambered superior ovary and a single style, 2-5.5 mm long.
FRUITS
The fruit is a silicle. Silicle globose (subglobose or obovoid), appears 1-lobed, but is composed of two valves or chambers. Valves densely pubescent with spreading hairs (trichomes) on the outside, and 3-4 mm tall. Each chamber (locule) has 2-6 seeds, which after dehiscence disperse from the valve.
GENETICS
2n = 10, 20, or 30 chromosomes (O'Kane in FNA 2010)
Cultural Uses
Some species of Physaria are being studied as a potential source of specialized, high-quality lubricants because their seeds contain hydroxy fatty acids (O'Kane in FNA 2010).
Stewardship Responsibility
Threats or Limiting Factors
Reported threats to Montana's populations of Silver Bladderpod have not been identified.
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Al-Shehbaz, I. A. and S. L. O'Kane. 2002. Lesquerella is united with Physaria (Brassicaceae). Novon 12:319-329.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 2010. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 7. Magnoliophyta: Salicaceae to Brassicaceae. Oxford University Press, Inc., NY. 832 pp.- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- MTNHP Threat Assessment. 2021. State Threat Score Assignment and Assessment of Reported Threats from 2006 to 2021 for State-listed Vascular Plants. Botany Program, Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana.
- Rollins, R. C. 1993. The Cruciferae of Continental North America: systematics of the mustard family from the Arctic to Panama. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. 976 pp.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- 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.
- Wood, A.K. 1987. Ecology of a prairie mule deer population. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 205 p.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Silver Bladderpod"
