FLOWERING PLANTS AND FERNS OF ARIZONA 569 



root. It is one of the largest-flowered species, the petals attaining a 

 length of 3 cm. The inflorescence is typically an open, long -branched 

 panicle, but plants with a narrower, more thyreoid inflorescence are 

 not infrequent. A variant, of local occurrence throughout most of 

 the range in Arizona, is var. rosacea (Munz and Johnston) Kearney 

 (S. rosacea Munz and Johnston), distinguished by a mauve- rather 

 than apricot- or grenadine-colored corolla. 



5. Sphaeralcea laxa Wont, and Standi., Torrev Bot. Club Bui. 36: 



108. 1909. 



Xavajo and Coconino Counties (local), southward to Cochise and 

 Pima Counties, 2,000 to 0,000 feet, usually on limestone soils, in the 

 open, May to October. Western Texas to Arizona and northeastern 

 Sonora. 



On ''caliche 1 ' soils near Tucson this is the most abimdant species of 

 the genus. It varies from shade forms with thin, bright green, 

 shallowly lobed leaf blades, to forms with thick, whitish tomentose, 

 often deeply dissected blades. The open, relatively few-flowered 

 inflorescence and dark-purple anthers are distinctive. 



6. Sphaeralcea rusbvi A. Grav, Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci. Proc. 22: 



293. 1887. 



Coconino, Yavapai, Graham, Gila, Pinal, and Maricopa Counties, 

 2,600 to 6,000 feet, well -drained slopes, often in openings in yellow 

 pine forests, April to September, type from Prescott, 1 avapai County 

 <Rusby 537). Southern Utah to central Arizona, southeastern 

 California. 



In its typical form, this species is distinguished from its nearest 

 relative, S. laxa, by its sparse pubescence of long-rayed hairs and 

 usually narrow inflorescence. A luxuriant, highly variable form, 

 with usually less deeply pedate leaf blades, larger flowers, and often 

 more copious and shorter pubescence, is var. gilensis Kearney. This 

 often occurs at somewhat lower elevations and is especially abundant 

 in the Pinal Mountain region and along the Gila River east of Florence. 



7. Sphaeralcea wrightii A. Gray, PI. Wright. 2: 21. 1853. 



Camp Grant, Graham County (E. Palmer 19, etc.), Douglas and 

 Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise County {Carlson in 191 ">, Price in 

 1894), apparently rare. Western Texas to southeastern Arizona and 

 Chihuahua. 



Xone of the Arizona specimens are typical, having less distinctly 

 pedate leaves than the type of the species. 



8. Sphaeralcea incana Torr. in A. Grav, Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci. 



Mem. ser. 2, 4: 23. 1849. 



Apache, Xavajo, and Coconino Counties, 4,000 to 6,000 feet, sandy 

 or gravelly mesas and slopes, summer and autumn. Western Texas 

 to northeastern Arizona and Chihuahua. 



The tall, wandlike stems and very numerous flowers make this a 

 conspicuous plant, distinguished from its nearest relative, S. jendleri, 

 by the yellowish-green color of the foliage. It is characteristically a 

 plant of the open, whereas &. fendleri commonly inhal its forests or 

 thickets. The more frequent form in Arizona is var. cuneata Kearney, 

 with narrower leaf blades that are cuneate, not subcordate or truncate 

 at base. 



