The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Carolina grass of parnassus

fen grass-of-parnassus

Habit Herbs with horizontal creeping rhizomes. Herbs with caudices.
Stems

20–60 cm.

10–60 cm.

Leaves

basal 1–2 per node on rhizomes;

petiole 8–22 cm;

blade (of larger leaves) ovate to suborbiculate, 20–75 × 15–70 mm, longer than to ca. as long as wide, base rounded to subcordate, apex obtuse;

cauline on proximal 1/2 of stem or absent.

basal in rosettes;

petiole 1.5–17 cm;

blade (of larger leaves) oblong to orbiculate-ovate, 20–70 × 10–50 mm, longer than to ca. as long as wide, base cuneate to subcordate, apex obtuse to subacute;

cauline on proximal 1/2 of stem or absent.

Flowers

sepals reflexed in fruit, oblong to oblong-elliptic, 3.5–5 mm, margins hyaline, 0.2 mm wide, entire, apex obtuse;

petals 7–12-veined, broadly ovate, 14–20 × 9–12 mm, length 3–4 times sepals, base rounded, margins entire or undulate;

stamens 7–11 mm;

anthers 1.8–3 mm;

staminodes 3-fid almost to base, gland-tipped, 9–14 mm, longer than stamens, apical glands lanceolate, 1–1.7 mm;

ovary white.

sepals reflexed in fruit, oblong, elliptic, or ovate, 2.5–5 mm, margins hyaline, 0.2–0.5 mm wide, entire, apex rounded;

petals 5–12-veined, oblong to ovate, 9–18 × 6–10 mm, length 2–4 times sepals, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire or undulate;

stamens 7–10 mm;

anthers 1.2–2.8 mm;

staminodes 3-fid almost to base, gland-tipped, 4–7 mm, shorter than to ca. equaling stamens, apical glands elliptic-oblong to subreniform, 0.3–0.7 mm;

ovary green.

Capsules

10–15 mm.

12–14 mm.

2n

= 32.

Parnassia caroliniana

Parnassia glauca

Phenology Flowering late summer–fall. Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Wet pine savannas, seepage slopes, streamhead ecotones, all subject to recurring fires. Seasonally wet meadows, shores, fens, ditches, seeps, wet, calcareous soils.
Elevation 10–300 m. (0–1000 ft.) 50–700 m. (200–2300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; IA; IL; IN; MA; ME; MI; MN; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SD; VT; WI; MB; NB; NF; ON; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Parnassia caroliniana is rare throughout its range; it is listed as endangered in Florida and North Carolina.

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

The name Parnassia caroliniana has been misapplied to this species (for example, N. L. Britton and A. Brown 1913).

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 117. FNA vol. 12, p. 116.
Parent taxa Celastraceae > Parnassia Celastraceae > Parnassia
Sibling taxa
P. asarifolia, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 184. (1803) Rafinesque: Autik. Bot., 42. (1840)
Web links