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

Carolina grass of parnassus

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

10–35 cm.

20–60 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.

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.

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.

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.

Capsules

8–12 mm.

10–15 mm.

2n

= 36.

Parnassia fimbriata

Parnassia caroliniana

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late summer–fall.
Habitat Stream banks, wet meadows, fens, seeps in forest glades, alpine ravines. Wet pine savannas, seepage slopes, streamhead ecotones, all subject to recurring fires.
Elevation 10–3200 m. (0–10500 ft.) 10–300 m. (0–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; NC; SC
[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.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 115. FNA vol. 12, p. 117.
Parent taxa Celastraceae > Parnassia Celastraceae > Parnassia
Sibling taxa
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
P. asarifolia, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Name authority K. D. König: Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 391. (1804) Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 184. (1803)
Web links