Parrya nudicaulis
Parrya arctica
nakedstem wallflower
arctic false wallflower
(0.4–)0.7–2.7(–3.5) dm.
(0.3–)0.5–1.7(–2.5) dm.
petiole (0.7–)1.5–7(–10) cm, to 5 mm wide at base (glandular or not);
blade narrowly spatulate or oblanceolate to lanceolate or oblong, (1–)1.7–7 cm × (6–)10–23(–28) mm, base cuneate or attenuate, margins entire or minutely to coarsely dentate, or sometimes incised, apex acute.
petiole (0.5–)1–3(–4) cm, to 4 mm wide at base;
blade linear-oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, (0.7–)1.2–4(–5.2) cm × 2–5(–7) mm, base attenuate, margins entire or, rarely, obscurely dentate, apex acute or obtuse.
3–20-flowered.
3–12-flowered.
sepals oblong, 5–8 × 1.5–3 mm (glandular or not);
petals lavender to white, purple, (14–)16–20(–22) × 7–10(–12) mm, claw 6–10 mm, apex emarginate;
median filaments 6–10 mm;
anthers 1.5–2.5 mm.
sepals broadly oblong, (3–)4–5 × 1.5–2 mm;
petals white to lavender or purple, (8–)10–13 × 3–5 mm, claw 3.5–4.5 mm, apex rounded to shallowly emarginate;
median filaments 3.5–5 mm;
anthers 0.8–1.5 mm.
(proximalmost) (10–)15–40(–60) mm (glandular or not).
(proximalmost) 6–20(–30) mm.
narrowly oblong to linear-lanceolate, (2–)3–4(–4.7) cm × (3.5–)5–7 mm;
valves glandular or eglandular;
ovules 12–16 per ovary;
style (0.5–)1–2.5(–3.5) mm.
narrowly oblong, 1–2.5(–3.5) cm × 3–5 mm;
valves eglandular;
ovules 14–20 per ovary;
style 0.2–0.5(–0.7) mm.
3.5–6 × 3–5 mm;
wing 0.7–1.5 mm wide.
3.5–4.5 × 3–3.5 mm;
wing 0.7–1 mm wide.
= 14, 28.
= 14.
Parrya nudicaulis
Parrya arctica
Parrya nudicaulis is the most variable species in the genus, especially in leaf shape, size, and margin, as well as in the presence versus absence of the extrafloral glands. Much of the confusion about its limits resulted from different emphases on various characters. For example, E. Hultén (1971), who recognized six subspecies, expanded the range of P. nudicaulis to extend from the Canadian arctic and Alaska into the Russian Far East, Siberia, Central Asia, China, and the Himalayas. Three of his four North American subspecies, sometimes growing together, are rather poorly defined morphologically and appear to have been based primarily on the degree of development of leaf teeth. By contrast, R. C. Rollins (1993) recognized a single polymorphic species that included the Utah-Wyoming endemic P. rydbergii. Within a given population of P. nudicaulis, one finds both glandular and eglandular plants with leaf margins entire or variously dentate. In my opinion, these variables alone are unreliable, and flower size, in combination with other characters, can give a better indication of taxon identity.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Parrya arctica is distributed in the Canadian arctic and subarctic islands and rarely has been collected inland, such as from the Great Bear Lake area (Northwest Territories). The major center of distribution appears to fall between 93–125°W and 67–76°N.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database
