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fringe grass-of-parnassus, Rocky Mountain parnassia

small flower parnassia, small-flower grass-of-parnassus

Habit Herbs with caudices. Herbs with caudices.
Stems

10–35 cm.

2–35 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.

basal in rosettes;

petiole 0.4–2 cm;

blade (of larger leaves) ovate to oblong, 6–35 × 5–25 mm, base cuneate to subcordate, apex rounded to subacute;

cauline on proximal 1/2 to middle 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.

sepals spreading in fruit, linear-lanceolate to oblong or elliptic-oblong, 3–6 mm, margins not hyaline, entire, apex obtuse;

petals 5–13-veined, oblong to elliptic, 3.5–10 × 4–6 mm, length 1.1–1.5 times sepals, base rounded to cuneate, margins entire;

stamens (2–)4–7 mm;

anthers 1–1.6 mm;

staminodes obovate, divided distally into 5–7(–9) gland-tipped filaments, (2–)3.5–5 mm, shorter than stamens, apical glands suborbicular, 0.2–0.3 mm;

ovary green.

Capsules

8–12 mm.

7–10 mm.

2n

= 36.

= 36.

Parnassia fimbriata

Parnassia parviflora

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Stream banks, wet meadows, fens, seeps in forest glades, alpine ravines. Wet, calcareous shores, meadows, fens, seepy scree slopes.
Elevation 10–3200 m. (0–10500 ft.) 10–2900 m. (0–9500 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
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MI; MT; ND; NV; SD; UT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NL; NS; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Parnassia parviflora has been included in P. palustris by some authors. Small-flowered plants of P. palustris usually have the staminodes divided into about nine filaments distally and the anthers exceed 1.5 mm, but rarely some plants cannot be clearly assigned to one or other of these species. In Nunavut, P. parviflora is known only from Akimiski Island in James Bay.

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 115. FNA vol. 12, p. 114.
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. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris
Synonyms P. palustris var. 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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