Caltha chionophila Greene (1899: 80)

Wefferling, Keir M. & Hoot, Sara B., 2017, Species circumscription of the Caltha leptosepala polyploid complex (Ranunculaceae) based on molecular and morphological data, Phytotaxa 316 (3), pp. 201-223 : 215

Caltha chionophila Greene (1899: 80) .

Type:— U.S.A. Colorado: near Pagosa Peak , 11,000 ft., 1899 ; Baker s.n. (isolectotypes BM! K! NDG!). Fig. 4 .

Caltha uniflora Rydberg (1900: 474) .

Type:— U.S.A. Montana: Haystack Peak, 3000–3300 m., August 1899, Koch s.n. (holotype NY!).

Morphology and cytology:—Leaf blades 1.2–2.5(–3) × as long as wide, +/- sagittate or auriculate, the generally short auricles little overlapping or not at all, rarely diplophyllous (upturned over the leaf blade), margins mostly sinuatedentate to subentire ( Fig. 4 ); flowers 1(–3) per stem; filaments strongly flattened, 0.5–1(–1.2) mm wide (Giblin et al. in press), wider and generally shorter than anthers ( Figs. 4 , 11B ); pollen tricolpate (rarely misshapen) ( Fig. 8 ); follicles with ± curved stylar beak 0.5–1.2 mm in length (Giblin et al. in press); hexaploid (2 n = 6 x = 48, Wefferling et al. 2015; holoploid genome size ca. 7–10 pg/2 C, Wefferling et al. 2017).

Taxonomic notes:—The specimen pictured in Figure 4 (NDG17369) is at the Greene-Nieuwland Herbarium, determined by E.L. Greene and labeled with his own hand (B. Hellenthal, pers. comm.). Smit (1973) designated Baker 322 as lectotype, but Greene did not indicate a collection number; the collector, collection locality, and date match his 1899 description of Caltha chionophila .

Geographic distribution:—Subalpine and alpine habitats in the Rockies and Basin and Range: central Idaho, western Montana, southeastern Oregon, northeastern Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico ( Wefferling et al. 2017, Giblin et al. in press).

Additional specimens examined (*pollen sampled for SEM, n = 14; †ploidy level estimated via FCM or chromosome count [ Wefferling et al. 2017], n = 8):— U.S.A.: Arizona: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest , Clear Cut Spring, White Mtns., 33.903383, -109.484811, elevation 2835 m, Rink, G. and L. Stevens s.n.*, 27-Jun-2010 ( ASC). Colorado: Wet Mountains , Wet Mountain Valley , Sangre Cristo Range and vicinity, Sawatch Range, San Isabel NF, Monarch Park, ca. 1.8 road mi. on County Road 231, 38.5153, -106.3234, elevation 3200 m, Hall, C., B. Jacobs, and A. Morgan 1565* †, 29-Jun-1998 ( NYBG). Colorado: Roosevelt NF, Niwot Ridge at the LTER site, 35 km W of Boulder , 40.0757, -105.593, elevation 3000 m, Schuettpelz, E. J. 001, 13-Jul-2000 ( UWM). Colorado: Roosevelt NF, Ward Quad., Shoreline of Brainard Lake , 40.0769, -105.57571, elevation 3158 m, Majack, M. 2-1* †, 1-Jan-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: Challis NF, Merriam Lake Basin, series of hummocky alpine marshy meadows at the base of rock talus along the edge of Merriam Lake , 44.12, -113.75, elevation 2930 m, Bursik, R. 1240*, 7-Jul-1988 ( ID). Idaho: Salmon NF, lakeside meadow of upper lake at head of Middle Fork Little Timber Creek , 44.549619, -113.531627, elevation 2801 m, Brunsfeld, S. J. 1737*, 14-Jul-1981 ( ID). Idaho: Head of Big Eightmile Creek , 44.574, -113.602, elevation 2800 m, Henderson, D. 3365, 14-Jul-1976 ( SRP). Idaho: Spring and stringer at head of Jordan Creek southwest of Jordan Peak, ca 18 airmiles NNE of Stanley, 44.466, -114.776, elevation 2780 m, Errter, B., B. Corbin, C. Scott, J. Irwin, and W. Irwin 20192*, 17-Jul-2010 ( SRP). Idaho: Sawtooth NRA, S end Decker Flat, S of junction of FR 315 and FR 037 , 44.019044, -114.858893, elevation 2090 m, Wefferling, K. M. 276h*, 23-Jul-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: Summit Creek , Pioneer Mtns., Challis NF, at pass between Summit Creek and R. Fork Kane Creek , 43.80247, -114.203175, elevation 2890 m, Wefferling, K. M. 299 lepto †, 1-Jan-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: Summit Creek , Pioneer Mtns., Challis NF, at pass between Summit Creek and R. Fork Kane Creek , 43.801472, -114.201444, elevation 2900 m, Wefferling, K. M. 291h, 24-Jul-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: E side Sawtooth Range, Sawtooth NRA, Elk Meadows ( NE side, edge of meadow/forest), 44.266698, -115.094952, elevation 2060 m, Wefferling, K. M. 212 lepto* †, 1-Jan-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: White Cloud Peaks, Sawtooth NRA, 4th of July Lake Creek , 44.050251, -114.649835, elevation 2724 m, Wefferling, K. M. 242h, 23-Jul-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: White Cloud Peaks, Sawtooth NRA, Inlet to 4th of July Lake , 44.044306, -114.631222, elevation 2860 m, Wefferling, K. M. 258h, 23-Jul-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: Cirque at head of Rock Creek , below N face of Borah peak, Lost River Range, Challis NF, ca 17 miles NW of Mackay, 44.13717, -113.801859, elevation 3018 m, Moseley, B. 1211*, 23-Aug-1987 ( ID). Idaho: E side Sawtooth Range, Sawtooth NRA, Elk Meadows ( NE side, edge of meadow/forest), 44.266698, -115.094952, elevation 2060 m, Wefferling, K. M. 212lh, 22-Jul-2014 ( UWM). Idaho: Kane Creek cirque, ca. 0.5 mi. E of Kane Lake , Pioneer Mtns. , Challis NF, ca. 13 mi. NE of Ketchum , 43.786011, - 114.14451, elevation 3170 m, Moseley. B. 1181, 22-Aug-1987 ( ID). Montana: La Marche Lake Meadows, 46.012634, -113.300911, elevation 2522 m, Lackschewitz, K. H. 3880, 17-Jul-1972 ( MONTU). Montana: Scapegoat Mtn., Continental Divide (General Summit, east side), 24 mi SW of Augusta, 47.31, -112.8, elevation 2590 m, McDonald, C. H. 2091, 14-Jul-1966 ( MONTU). Montana: Camp Pass in Lincoln-Scapegoat area above Camp Lake , 47.185, - 113.051, elevation 1830 m, Mooar, M. 9527, 16-Jul-1968 ( MONTU). Montana: Beartooth Mtns, Stillwater Plateau 5 mi. N of Mt. Wood , Custer NF, 7 mi. S of Nye , 45.331487, -109.825172, elevation 3109 m, Evert, E. s.n., 26-Jul-1992 ( RM). Montana: Yellow-flowered plants abundant in wet soil along a small stream at the head of Nicholia Creek , 44.384363, -112.856781, elevation 2700 m, Lesica, P. s.n., 2-Jul-2014 ( UWM). New Mexico: Sangre Cristo Mtns., west slope of Wheeler Peak, above Williams Lake , 36.559, -105.4177, elevation 3658 m, Holmgren, N. H. and P. K. Holmgren 7330*, 21-Aug-1973 ( NYBG). New Mexico: Sante Fé Basin, Ski Slide Area , 35.8, -105.7, elevation 3170 m, Throne, A. L. 12538, 26-Jul-1960 ( UWM). Nevada: Ruby Mountains , Island Lake on west side of Lamoille Canyon, 40.6108, -115.3828, elevation 2987 m, Tiehm, A. and M. Williams 9675*, 14-Jun-1985 ( ID). Nevada: Ruby Mountains , Lamoille Canyon, 40.648, -115.385, elevation 2900 m, Throne, A. L. 13776, 25-Jul-1949 ( UWM). Oregon: in seep by small creek half way down from Steens summit ridge to Wildhorse Lake by trail, 42.63373, -118.582351, elevation 2670 m, Mansfield, D. 94-50, 26-Jul-1994 ( CIC). Oregon: Steens Mountain , 42.674949, -118.588356, elevation 2700 m, Johanson, J. 07-10*, 21-Jul-2007 ( WTU). Utah: Uinta Mtns., along State Route 150, 2.4km (1.5mi) N of the Duchesne County line, 40.743, -110.871, elevation 3030 m, Holmgren, N. H. and P. K. Holmgren 15424* †, 10-Jun- 2006 ( NYBG). Utah: Wasatch Plateau, Manti Creek drainage in the South Fork of Manti Canyon , 2.6 km road distance below Skyline Drive, 39.219167, -111.502222, elevation 3040 m, Holmgren, N. H. and P. K. Holmgren 16196 †, 15- Aug-2009 ( NYBG). Utah: North Slope Uinta Mountains , Wasatch NF, Gunsight Pass, ca. 33 air mi. S of Mountain View , 40.811651, -110.362809, elevation 3625 m, Refsdal, C. H. 6799 with L. Refsdal, 8-Aug-1995 ( RM). Wyoming: West Slope Wind River Range : vicinity of Meeks Lake and Iron Creek Meadows, ca. 1.25 air mi N of Big Sandy Campground , ca. 30 air mi ESE of Pinedale, 42.699878, -109.266609, elevation 2805 m, Fertig, W. 7481, 11-Jun- 1991 ( RM). Wyoming: Medicine Bow Mountains , N of Headquarters Park off FR 200 , 1 air mile N of Wyo Hwy 130, ca. 24 air miles SE of Saratoga, 41.3386, -106.3726, elevation 3050 m, Lukas, L. E. 2286 †, 13-Jul-2007 ( USFS / RM). Wyoming: Medicine Bow NF, alpine meadows above Lake Marie, 41.343889, -106.333667, elevation 3496 m, Wefferling, K. M. 19* †, 21-Jun-2012 ( UWM) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Isolectotype of Caltha chionophila, collected by C.F. Baker, 1899. “Near Pagosa Peak, 11,000 ft., Colorado” (U.S.A.). Housed at the Greene-Nieuwland Herbarium, Notre Dame, U.S.A. (NDG17369). Inset photo shows broad filaments; magnified 5×.

FIGURE 8. Pollen of Caltha chionophila, determined by morphology and molecular data (Wefferling & Hoot, unpublished data). †ploidy level estimated by flow cytometry (Wefferling et al. 2017). A. U.S.A.: New Mexico, Holmgren, N.H., and P.K. Holmgren 7330 (NYBG). B. U.S.A.: Colorado, Hall, C., B. Jacobs, and A. Morgan 1565† (NYBG). C. U.S.A.: Nevada, Tiehm, A. and M. Williams 9675 (ID). D. U.S.A.: Utah, Holmgren, N.H., and P.K. Holmgren 15424† (NYBG). E. U.S.A.: Idaho, Errter, B., B. Corbin, C. Scott, J. Irwin, and W. Irwin 20192 (SRP). F. U.S.A.: Wyoming, Wefferling, K.M. 19† (UWM). G. U.S.A.: Oregon, Johanson, J. 07-10 (WTU). H. U.S.A.: Arizona, Rink, G. and L. Stevens s.n. (ASC). I. U.S.A.: Idaho, Wefferling, K.M. 212lepto† (UWM). Size bars = 6 μm.

FIGURE 11. Close-up photographs of Caltha flowers.A.C.biflora. U.S.A.:Washington,Alpine Lakes Wilderness.Photo by L.Wefferling. B. C. chionophila. U.S.A.: Wyoming, Medicine Bow National Forest. C. C. leptosepala. U.S.A.: Alaska, Chugach National Forest.