Bistorta vivipara |
Bistorta plumosa |
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alpine bistort, serpent-grass, viviparous bistort |
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Habit | Plants (2–)8–30(–45) cm; rhizomes sometimes contorted. | Plants (8–)10–40(–50) cm; rhizomes contorted. |
Stems | 1–2(–3). |
1(–2). |
Leaves | ocrea brown, cylindric, 4–22(–27) mm, margins strongly oblique, glabrous; petiole attached to sheath 6–20(–45) mm, unwinged distally, 5–110(–200) mm; blade linear to lanceolate or oblong-ovate, 1–8(–10) × 0.5–1.7(–2.3) cm, base cuneate to rounded or cordate, often asymmetric, margins entire, usually revolute, not wavy, apex obtuse to acute, abaxial face pubescent with whitish or brownish hairs, glaucous, adaxial face glabrous, not glaucous; cauline leaves 2–4, petiolate proximally, sessile distally, gradually reduced distally, blade linear-lanceolate to linear. |
ocrea brown, cylindric, 5–40 mm, margins oblique, glabrous; petiole attached to sheath 10–45 mm, unwinged or scarcely winged distally, 30–220 mm; blade lanceolate-elliptic to ovate, 2–12 × 0.5–3 cm, base tapered, rarely truncate, often asymmetric, margins entire, sometimes wavy, apex rounded to acute, abaxial face pubescent with whitish or brownish hairs, glaucous, adaxial face glabrous, not glaucous; cauline leaves 1–3, petiolate proximally, sessile distally, gradually reduced distally, blade triangular-lanceolate to linear. |
Inflorescences | 1, narrowly elongate-cylindric, (15–)20–90 × 4–10 mm, usually bearing pink to brown or purple pyriform bulblets proximally and sterile flowers distally; peduncle 1–5 cm. |
1, short-cylindric to ovoid, 15–70 × 10–15 mm, bulblets absent; peduncle 1–8 cm. |
Pedicels | ascending or spreading, (1–)2–5 mm. |
ascending or spreading, 2–7 mm. |
Flowers | 1–2 per ocreate fascicle; perianth greenish proximally, usually white or pink distally, rarely red; tepals obovate, 2.1–4 mm, apex obtuse to acute; stamens included or exserted, some or all often poorly developed; anthers reddish to purple. |
1–2 per ocreate fascicle; perianth bright pink or purplish pink; tepals oblong to elliptic, 3–4 mm, apex obtuse to acute; stamens included or exserted; anthers purple to blackish. |
Achenes | rarely produced, dark brown, 2.2–3.3 × 0.9–1.5 mm, dull, granular. |
brown, 2.5–4 × 1.2–2 mm, shiny, smooth. |
2n | = 96, 120. |
= 72. |
Bistorta vivipara |
Bistorta plumosa |
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Phenology | Flowering Jun–Sep. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Moist to wet spruce or mixed woods along shorelines, moist subalpine woods and meadows, alpine meadows, heaths, nutrient-rich sites | Fields, meadows, arctic and alpine tundra, heathlands |
Elevation | 0-4000 m (0-13100 ft) | 0-2000 m (0-6600 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; AZ; CO; ID; ME; MI; MN; MT; NH; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; VT; WA; WY; AB; BC; LB; MB; NB; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Greenland; Europe; Asia
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AK; BC; NT; YT; e Asia |
Discussion | Bistorta vivipara is highly variable morphologically and cytologically. Robust plants with large leaves, compact spikes, and persistent bulblets have been named subsp. macounii. Abortion of stamens, production of bulblets, and the rarity of fruits suggest that reproduction is largely asexual; fruits and seedlings are produced rarely (N. Söyrinki 1989). B. Jonsell and T. Karlsson (2000+, vol. 1) summarized chromosome numbers that include 2n = 66, ca. 77, ca. 80, 88, 99, ca. 100, 110, 120, and ca. 132. A. E. Porsild and W. J. Cody (1980) reported that indigenous peoples of the circumpolar region eat the starchy, slightly astringent rootstocks raw or cooked, and preserve them in seal oil or by freezing. E. Hultén (1968) reported that the rootstocks taste like almonds. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Leaves of Bistorta plumosa are used as a dietary aid and consumed as a vegetable, and roots are boiled and added to stews by Alaskan Native Americans (D. E. Moerman 1998). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 595. | FNA vol. 5, p. 596. |
Parent taxa | Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Bistorta | Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Bistorta |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Polygonum viviparum, B. vivipara subsp. macounii, Persicaria vivipara, Polygonum viviparum var. macounii | Polygonum plumosum, B. major subsp. plumosum, Polygonum bistorta subsp. plumosum, Polygonum bistorta var. plumosum |
Name authority | (Linnaeus) Delarbre: Fl. Auvergne ed. 2, 2: 516. (1800) | (Small) Greene: Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 18. (1904) |
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