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

Claytonia cordifolia S. Watson
heart-leaved springbeauty (heartleaf springbeauty)
Montiaceae (Purslane family)
(Previously in Portulacaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Jim Riley  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #28259)

E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Claytonia cordifolia
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Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from a slender to thickened rhizome; stems erect, simple, single to several in clumps along the rhizome, 10-30 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves several, the blades heart-shaped to triangular, 1-5 cm long, 1-9 cm wide, narrowing to stalks 2-3 times as long as the blade; stem leaves paired, opposite, free, lanceolate to egg-shaped, 1-5 cm wide.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of loose, elongate racemes with 3-10 flowers on stout stalks 10-15 mm long, without bracts; petals 5, white, 8-13 mm long, sepals 2, 3-5 mm long.
Fruits:
Capsules; seeds 3, round, black, shiny, 2 mm long.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Wet streambanks, pond margins, seepage sites and meadows in the montane zone; locally frequent in SE BC, rare on Vancouver Island; S to W MT, UT and CA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Claytonia cordifolia

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) 310 1506 1990
Slope Gradient (%) 0 26 65
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
7 321 346
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 4 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
66
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: CWH(2), ESSF(43), ICH(13), IDF(3)

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

Claytonia asarifolia
Claytonia sibirica var. cordifolia (S. Wats.) R.J. Davis
Montia cordifolia (S. Watson) Pax & K. Hoffm.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References