E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Gypsophila paniculata L.
baby's breath
Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Diane Williamson  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #88271)

E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Gypsophila paniculata
Click here to view our interactive map and legend
Details about map content are available here
Click on the map dots to view record details.

Introduction

According to the Invasive Species Council of BC, this species: "Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) is a herbaceous perennial plant that invades grazing land and out-competes native and introduced perennial grasses." Read more about it at: https://bcinvasives.ca/invasive-species/identify/invasive-plants/babys-breath.

There are two species of baby's breath in British Columbia. These may be separated as follows:

1. Inflorescence glandular-hairy; calyx teeth 3-4 mm long.........G. scorzonerifolia

1. Inflorescence glabrous; calyx teeth 1.5-2.0 mm long...............G. paniculata

Species Information

Click on the image below to view an expanded illustration for this species.



General:
Perennial herb from a thick root; stems usually much-branched, glabrous and more or less glaucous, 0.4-1.2 m tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves opposite, lanceolate to linear, 2-10 cm long, rarely over 2-9 mm wide, 1-nerved, unstalked; stipules lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of numerous flowers in a large, diffusely branched, leafy-bracted, panicle-like cluster; flowers stalks glabrous; petals 5, white, oblanceolate, rounded to somewhat notched, stalklike at the base, slightly exceeding the calyces, about equalling the 10 stamens; sepals 5, glabrous, the white membrane below the notches contrasting strongly with the usually purplish back of the 5 lobes, united, forming a top-shaped tube 1.5-2 mm long.
Fruits:
Capsules egg-shaped, 2-3 mm long, 4-valved; seeds 2-5, blackish, 1.5-2 mm long, prominently cross-wrinkled and pimply in longitudinal, concentric rows.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Dry roadsides, fields and waste places in the steppe and lower montane zones; infrequent SC and SE BC; introduced from Eurasia.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Gypsophila paniculata

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 356 356 356
Slope Gradient (%) 0 0 0
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
208 208 208
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
0 0 0
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
A
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
1
Modal BEC Zone Class
BG
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: BG(1)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Gypsophila paniculata var. paniculata

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References