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Carolina grass of parnassus

Kotzebue's grass-of-parnassus

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

20–60 cm.

2–15(–25) 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 0.2–1(–2) cm;

blade (of larger leaves) deltate-ovate to rhombic-ovate 3.5–12(–30) × 4–10(–25) mm, base cordate to cuneate, apex acute to obtuse;

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 spreading in fruit, oblong-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4–8 mm, margins not hyaline, entire, apex obtuse;

petals usually 3-veined, oblong to elliptic, 3–7 × 2–3 mm, length 0.8–1.3 times sepals, base rounded or cuneate, margins entire;

stamens 3–4.5 mm;

anthers 0.7–1 mm;

staminodes obovate, unlobed or divided distally into 3–5 gland-tipped filaments, 1.5–3 mm, shorter than stamens, apical glands suborbicular, 0.1–0.2 mm;

ovary green.

Capsules

10–15 mm.

6–12 mm.

2n

= 18, 36.

Parnassia caroliniana

Parnassia kotzebuei

Phenology Flowering late summer–fall. Flowering summer.
Habitat Wet pine savannas, seepage slopes, streamhead ecotones, all subject to recurring fires. Moist or seasonally dry shores, stream banks, riverbanks, meadows, tundra, seepage areas, talus, snowbeds, wet calcareous rocky places, open conifer forests.
Elevation 10–300 m. (0–1000 ft.) 0–3800 m. (0–12500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CO; ID; MT; NV; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NL; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; ne Asia
[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.)

Variety pumila was described as endemic to the western mountains, but identical plants occur throughout much of the range of the species.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 117. FNA vol. 12, p. 115.
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. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Synonyms P. kotzebuei var. pumila
Name authority Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 184. (1803) Chamisso ex Sprengel: Syst. Veg. 1: 951. (1824)
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