Stephanomeria runcinata (Rush Pink) - photos and description
Flowers beginning to wilt ~ 10:00 a.m.
Lowest leaves toothed
General: Erect perennials with a branching growth habit. Foliage grey-green in colour. Stems with very short hairs.
Flowers: Flowers at stem tips, pink with red lines,
with 5 or rarely 6 petals, petals having 5 teeth at their apex. Flowers
measured to 20 mm diameter.
We observed flowers beginning to open at 8 a.m. and wilting in the heat by 10
a.m.
Leaves: Leaves alternate. Lower leaves lobed, lower leaf measured at 45 mm long and 12 mm wide. Upper leaves reduced, linear, entire. Upper leaf measured at 5 mm long.
Height: Height listed in Flora of Alberta to 20 cm, we measured plants to 25 cm tall.
Habitat: Badlands and loose shale beds.
Abundance: Rare, ranked as an S3 (as of 2021) by the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre.
Origin: Native.
Similar species: This plant could be confused with Skeletonweed, Lygodesmia juncea. You can distinguish between the two by examining the lower stem leaves - the leaves of Lygodesmia juncea are not lobed nor toothed.
When and where photographed: Took the above photos June 28th, 29th, and July 10th on eroded clay slopes and shale beds in the West Block of the Grasslands National Park, about 400 km south west of our home in Regina, SK.