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bigleaf grass of parnassus, largeleaf grass of parnassus

Habit Herbs with caudices.
Stems

12–70 cm.

Leaves

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 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

10–15 mm.

2n

= 32.

Parnassia grandifolia

Phenology Flowering mid summer–fall.
Habitat Wet, calcareous rocks, shores, meadows, fens.
Elevation 200–1400 m. (700–4600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
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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. 116.
Parent taxa Celastraceae > Parnassia
Sibling taxa
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Name authority de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 320. (1824)
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