Portulacaceae

Lewisia rediviva

Bitterroot

Rosette of small leaves arising from thick carrot-like root. Root often shows above ground. Leaves fleshy, 1–3 in., pencil-shaped. Flowers deep rose, pink, or white, with satin-like sheen. Petals to 1 in. long, stamens 40–50, stigmas 6–8. Plants shrivel after flowering, remaining dormant through summer. Grows in rocky soils in open places from just above sea level to alpine. The genus Lewisia is named for Meriwether Lewis, who collected the first herbarium specimens of L. rediviva in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. The name rediviva ("restored to life") was given when a specimen grew some 2 years after the original collection.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: All Spring
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 1--3 inches
• Habitat: Shrub-Steppe, Subalpine, Alpine, East-Side Forest
• Found In: Great Basin, Siskiyous, East Gorge, Steens
• Native: Yes