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Kotzebue's grass-of-parnassus

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

Habit Herbs with caudices. Herbs with caudices.
Stems

2–15(–25) cm.

2–35 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 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 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 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

6–12 mm.

7–10 mm.

2n

= 18, 36.

= 36.

Parnassia kotzebuei

Parnassia parviflora

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Moist or seasonally dry shores, stream banks, riverbanks, meadows, tundra, seepage areas, talus, snowbeds, wet calcareous rocky places, open conifer forests. Wet, calcareous shores, meadows, fens, seepy scree slopes.
Elevation 0–3800 m. (0–12500 ft.) 10–2900 m. (0–9500 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
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

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.)

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. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. palustris, P. parviflora
P. asarifolia, P. caroliniana, P. cirrata, P. fimbriata, P. glauca, P. grandifolia, P. kotzebuei, P. palustris
Synonyms P. kotzebuei var. pumila P. palustris var. parviflora
Name authority Chamisso ex Sprengel: Syst. Veg. 1: 951. (1824) de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 1: 320. (1824)
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