Perideridia gairdneri

Squawroot

Middle Leaf

West Block, Cypress Hills
26-July-2006

Note that the leaves are often withered by the time the plant flowers.

Note that the key to the genera in Budd's Flora requires:
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leaves much divided, with leaflets or segments numerous; NOT [leaves simple or divided into few well developed leaflets]

This is not true.

Note that the key to the genera in Flora of Alberta requires:
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leaves once pinnate; NOT [leaves 2 or more times pinnate or ternate]

In fact, the leaves of this species can be once or twice pinnate.

The rest of the answers to the key questions are listed below.

 
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Perideridia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
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NOT [plants with a bluish tinge; flowers in dense globose heads; bracts spiny]

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plants with stem leaves; NOT [plants scapose]

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lower stem leaves alternate, stem leaves sometimes opposite in the inflorescence; NOT [lower stem leaves opposite]

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foliage NOT spiny

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lowest leaves (and the upper) compound; NOT [lowest leaves simple]

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foliage NOT digitately compound

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NOT [leave usually trifoliate, leaflets palmate, 10-30 cm wide]

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leaves pinnate, trifoliate, or simple; NOT [leaves palmate with 5-7 large leaflets]

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leaf segments few, usually 5, long and linear; NOT [leaf segments more than 5]

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leaflets mostly 1–2 mm wide; NOT [leaflets more than 2 mm wide]

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leaflets entire; NOT serrate

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plants NOT with axillary bulblets largely replacing flowers

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inflorescence NOT bluish

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umbel compound; NOT simple

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umbel many-flowered; NOT few-flowered

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involucral bracts small; NOT large

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involucral bracts slightly or not dissected; NOT [involucral bracts pinnately dissected]

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fruit about 2 mm long; NOT [fruit generally more than 2 mm long]

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fruit generally 3 times as long as broad or less; NOT [fruit several times longer than broad]

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fruit oblong to elliptical; NOT [fruit linear to clavate]

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fruit NOT with hooked spines

 
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Umbelliferae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants terrestrial or semi-aquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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stems hollow

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

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leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

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flowers in umbels

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flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

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parts of flowers mostly in fives; NOT [parts of flowers in twos or fours]

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calyx regular

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stamens 10 or fewer; NOT [stamens usually more than 10]

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styles 2; NOT 5

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ovary inferior; NOT superior