Hydrophyllum capitatum

Hydrophyllum capitatum
A plant with four, fuzzy compound leaves with leaflets attached on opposite sides of the thick leaf vein. The plant as a white, globe shaped flowering head with many fine stamens sticking out in all directions from the many flowers, a second flowering head has fallen on the ground behind one of the leaves. The plant is short with redish stems, fuzzy like the leaves.
Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii (Tom McCall Preserve, Oregon)
Secure
Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Boraginales
Family: Hydrophyllaceae
Genus: Hydrophyllum
Species:
H. capitatum
Binomial name
Hydrophyllum capitatum
Varieties
  • H. capitatum var. capitatum
  • H. capitatum var. thompsonii

Hydrophyllum capitatum, is a species of waterleaf known by the common name ballhead waterleaf. It is native to Western North America from British Columbia to Utah.

Description

Individuals of this species are 10–40 centimeters (4–15+1⁄2 in) tall, hairy, erect herbs with solitary or few stems that are attached to fibrous roots running 25 cm (10 in) deep. The leaves are green and alternately arranged into 7 to 11 pinnately divided entire leaflets. The blades of the leaves are about 10 cm wide and 15 cm long. The flowers feature partial dichotomous branching and lay closer to the ground below the leaves (Hydrophyllum capitatum var. capitatum). However, a dwarf form of this plant occurs in northern Oregon and southern Washington where the flower heads are on long stalks above the leaves (Hydrophyllum capitatum var. thompsonii).

Flowers of Hydrophyllum capitatum, has whitish to purplish blue-coiled 5 to 9 cm bell-shaped corollas. Each flower also has 5 hairy calyx lobes. There are 5 long stamens per flower with anthers 0.6 to 1.3 millimeters long. The flowers bloom from March to July and obtain their purple color during this season. The fruit of the ballhead waterleaf are capsules with 1 to 3 seeds each.

Distribution and habitat

Hydrophyllum capitatum naturally occurs in Alberta and British Columbia in Canada, as well as the western region of the United States (California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming).

Hydrophyllum capitatum grows in areas that are rather barren and dry (though seasonally moist) to shady environments in fine or medium textured soil. This plant tends to grow in open woodlands and slopes, ranging from high plains to subalpine meadows. It is salinity intolerant and lives in an environment that ranges in pH from 6.4 to 7.8. The ballhead waterleaf is a perennial plant adapted to a precipitation zone that ranges from 16 to 30 inches/yr and a minimum temperature of -28 Fahrenheit.

Uses

Indigenous peoples and settlers cooked the leaves and the roots of plants belonging to the genus Hydrophyllum, which includes the ballhead waterleaf, for greens.

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2023). "Hydrophyllum capitatum". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hydrophyllum capitatum Douglas ex Benth". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "Montana Plant Life". Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  4. ↑ Tuason, Thayne. "CWNP Plant Gallery". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center". Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 "USDA Plants". Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  7. 1 2 Fertig, Walter. "Plant of the Week: Hydrophyllum capitatum". Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 170. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.