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Kotzebue's grass-of-parnassus

Cascade grass-of-parnassus, San Bernardino grass of parnassus

Habit Herbs with caudices. Herbs with caudices.
Stems

2–15(–25) cm.

15–40 cm.

Leaves

basal in rosettes;

petiole 0.2–1(–2) cm;

blade (of larger leaves) deltate-ovate to rhombic-ovate 3.5–12(–30) × 4–10(–25) mm, base cordate to cuneate, apex acute to obtuse;

cauline on proximal 1/2 of stem or absent.

basal in rosettes;

petiole 1–12 cm;

blade (of larger leaves) ovate-orbiculate to elliptic-ovate, 15–60 × 7–50 mm, base cuneate, rounded, or weakly cordate, apex rounded;

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

Flowers

sepals spreading in fruit, oblong-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 4–8 mm, margins not hyaline, entire, apex obtuse;

petals usually 3-veined, oblong to elliptic, 3–7 × 2–3 mm, length 0.8–1.3 times sepals, base rounded or cuneate, margins entire;

stamens 3–4.5 mm;

anthers 0.7–1 mm;

staminodes obovate, unlobed or divided distally into 3–5 gland-tipped filaments, 1.5–3 mm, shorter than stamens, apical glands suborbicular, 0.1–0.2 mm;

ovary green.

sepals reflexed in fruit, elliptic or oblong-lanceolate to ovate, 4–7 mm, margins sometimes scarious, to 0.1 mm wide, usually entire, rarely minutely denticulate distally, apex rounded;

petals 5–7-veined, oblanceolate to obovate or elliptic, 8–15 × 3.3–9.8 mm, length 2 times sepals, base cuneate, margins fimbriate proximally;

stamens 6–9 mm;

anthers 1.5–2.2 mm;

staminodes scalelike proximally, distally divided into 5–15 gland-tipped filaments, 3.5–6 mm, shorter than stamens, apical glands globose, 0.2–0.4 mm;

ovary green.

Capsules

6–12 mm.

10 mm.

2n

= 18, 36.

Parnassia kotzebuei

Parnassia cirrata

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Moist or seasonally dry shores, stream banks, riverbanks, meadows, tundra, seepage areas, talus, snowbeds, wet calcareous rocky places, open conifer forests.
Elevation 0–3800 m. (0–12500 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CO; ID; MT; NV; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NL; NT; NU; ON; QC; SK; YT; Greenland; ne Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR; WA; BC; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Variety pumila was described as endemic to the western mountains, but identical plants occur throughout much of the range of the species.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Key
1. Larger petals 3.3–5.2(–7) mm wide, longer fimbriae (3.3–)3.5–6.5 mm; s California.
var. cirrata
1. Larger petals (4–)5–10 mm wide, longer fimbriae 1–3(–3.5) mm; British Columbia, n California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington.
var. intermedia
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 115. FNA vol. 12, p. 115.
Parent taxa Celastraceae > Parnassia Celastraceae > Parnassia
Sibling taxa
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. palustris, P. parviflora
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris, P. parviflora
Subordinate taxa
P. cirrata var. cirrata, P. cirrata var. intermedia
Synonyms P. kotzebuei var. pumila
Name authority Chamisso ex Sprengel: Syst. Veg. 1: 951. (1824) Piper: Erythea 7: 128. (1899)
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