Sidalcea malviflora subsp. dolosa

Bear valley checkerbloom, Bear Valley Checkerbloom

Family: Malvaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Bear valley checkerbloom is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Southern Transverse Ranges in open pine forest at elevations of 1,500 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces pink to lavender flowers in elongate, generally unbranched clusters with 5 to 14 blooms. Growing 20 to 100 centimeters tall with a decumbent stem base that roots and develops stellate hairs, it forms a matted rhizome or elongate caudex. Its leaves vary distinctively, with basal leaves unlobed and crenate, while upper leaves are deeply lobed, covered in coarse stellate hairs that are lighter on the leaf's underside. The fruit segments are approximately 3 millimeters long with a weakly wrinkled surface, reflecting the plant's delicate and intricate botanical structure.

Habitat: Open pine forest

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 1500-2300 m

Bioregions: SnBr.

California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.