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alpenhelm, alpine bartsia, bartsie alpine, djaevelens blomster, tornarsup-narsue, velvet bells

Habit Perennials simple or branched, 10–30 cm.
Leaves

4–10 pairs, divaricate;

blade ovate, (5–)10–25 x (6–)9–17 mm, rugose, abaxial surface glabrescent to hirsute, adaxial glabrescent.

Inflorescences

with 2–8 pairs of flowers;

bracts resembling foliage leaves, distal ones violet.

Pedicels

2–4 mm.

Flowers

+/- divaricate, 15–20 mm;

calyx green, often with violet markings, 5–9 mm, divided less than 1/2 length, hirsute;

corolla scarcely curved, pilose, galea 3–5 mm, divided from abaxial lip less than 1/4 length of corolla, abaxial lip 2–3 mm;

stamens included, 1/3–1/2 length of corolla from base, extending to abaxial lip;

anthers white, equal, apex mucronate, villous;

style 14–20 mm, stigma +/- exserted.

Capsules

ovoid, terete, 6–10 mm.

Seeds

1.4–2 mm.

2n

= 24.

Bartsia alpina

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Subarctic and arctic tundra, lakeshores, fens.
Elevation 0–1000 m. (0–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
MB; NL; NT; NU; ON; QC; Greenland; Europe
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Bartsia alpina has been reported to parasitize a wide range of hosts, including members of Ericaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae (U. Molau 1990). Outside the flora area, it occurs throughout northern Europe and in disjunct populations in the Alps and Pyrenees.

Bartsia alpina has been divided into varieties based primarily on variation in the color of the corolla. The most common form has violet corollas; other populations throughout the range occasionally include individuals with pale violet to yellow corollas. U. Molau (1990) reported that these forms are likely an expression of phenotypic variation induced by infection by either a gall fly or imperfect fungus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 489.
Parent taxa Orobanchaceae > Bartsia
Synonyms B. alpina var. jensenii, B. alpina var. pallida
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 602. (1753) — name conserved
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