Species: Lithospermum ruderale Dougl. ex Lehm.

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Lithospermum ruderale Dougl. ex Lehm.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Boraginaceae

Genus:

Lithospermum

Species Synonyms:

Lithospermum pilosum Nutt.

Common Names:

western gromwell
western stoneseed
white stoneseed

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

central British Columbia - southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry soil on south-facing grassland slopes

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Lithospermum ruderale is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare. It is restricted to one small region of the province and population sizes are variable.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

30 – 60 cm

Roots:

taproot reddish-brown

Stems:

caudex woody; erect stems perennial, tufted, regularly branched from one main axis, very leafy, stout, to 5 mm wide, stramineus to brownish, rough hairy

Leaves:

cauline, the uppermost almost concealing flowers, 2 – 6 cm long, 4 – 7 mm wide, linear to lanceolate, apex acuminate (acute to obtuse in Saskatchewan specimens), strigose or pilose, canescent, some hairs pustulate

Inflorescence:

cyme, leafy spicate; flowers crowded

Flowers:

cleistogamous flowers absent; calyx ~ 5 mm; corolla tube 5 – 8 mm, not bearded, lobes ~ 1.5 mm, pale yellow or greenish

Fruits:

nutlets 4 – 6 m long, ovoid, no basal collar, white or brownish, shiny, hard

LITHOSPERMUM KEY FOR VARIETIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Later flowers cleistogamous; corolla lobes fringed or toothed; nutlets usually pitted	L. incisum
1 Cleistogamous flowers absent; corolla lobes entire; at least some nutlets usually smooth	2

2 Stems very leafy; leaves usually acuminate (acute to obtuse in Saskatchewan); pubescence coarse; flowers crowded, dull greenish yellow; nutlets 4 – 6 mm	L. ruderale
2 Stems not very leafy; leaves rounded at apex; pubescence of soft and thin hairs; flowers not crowded, bright yellow or orange; nutlets 3 – 4 mm	L. canescens