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

fringe grass-of-parnassus, Rocky Mountain parnassia

Habit Herbs with caudices.
Stems

10–35 cm.

Leaves

basal in rosettes;

petiole 2–16 cm;

blade (of larger leaves) orbicular-reniform to reniform, 10–50 × 15–60 mm, base cordate, apex rounded;

cauline usually on middle to distal 1/2 of stem.

Flowers

sepals reflexed in fruit, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 4–6 mm, margins hyaline, 0.2–0.5 mm wide, denticulate, erose, or short-fimbriate distally, apex rounded;

petals 5–7-veined, oblanceolate to obovate, 8–14 × 4–8 mm, length 2 times sepals, base cuneate, margins fimbriate proximally;

stamens 6–9 mm;

anthers 1.5–2.5 mm;

staminodes oblong-obovate, irregularly divided into 5–10+ oblong, obtuse lobes, usually glandular at apex but tip not differentiated into distinct gland, 3–5 mm, shorter than stamens;

ovary green.

Capsules

8–12 mm.

2n

= 36.

Parnassia fimbriata

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Stream banks, wet meadows, fens, seeps in forest glades, alpine ravines.
Elevation 10–3200 m. (0–10500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 115.
Parent taxa Celastraceae > Parnassia
Sibling taxa
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Name authority K. D. König: Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 391. (1804)
Web links