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fringe grass-of-parnassus, Rocky Mountain parnassia

bigleaf grass of parnassus, largeleaf grass of parnassus

Habit Herbs with caudices. Herbs with caudices.
Stems

10–35 cm.

12–70 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 in rosettes;

petiole 3–15 cm;

blade (of larger leaves) oblong-ovate to suborbiculate, 25–80 × 20–70 mm, longer than to ca. as long as wide, base rounded to subcordate, apex obtuse;

cauline on proximal half 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 ovate, 2.5–5 mm, margins hyaline, 0.2–0.5 mm wide, entire, apex obtuse;

petals 7–11-veined, oblong to ovate, 15–22 × 6–10 mm, length 3–4 times sepals, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire or undulate;

stamens 7–9 mm;

anthers 2–3 mm;

staminodes 3-fid almost to base, gland-tipped, 10–16 mm, longer than stamens, apical glands elliptic to subglobose, 0.4–0.6 mm;

ovary green, sometimes whitish at base.

Capsules

8–12 mm.

10–15 mm.

2n

= 36.

= 32.

Parnassia fimbriata

Parnassia grandifolia

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering mid summer–fall.
Habitat Stream banks, wet meadows, fens, seeps in forest glades, alpine ravines. Wet, calcareous rocks, shores, meadows, fens.
Elevation 10–3200 m. (0–10500 ft.) 200–1400 m. (700–4600 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
AL; AR; FL; GA; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Parnassia grandifolia is uncommon throughout most of its range; it is listed as endangered in Florida and Kentucky, threatened in North Carolina, and of special concern in Tennessee.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 115. FNA vol. 12, p. 116.
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. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Name authority K. D. König: Ann. Bot. (König & Sims) 1: 391. (1804) de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 320. (1824)
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