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

Epilobium montanum L.
toothed willow-herb
Onagraceae (Evening Primrose family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Rosemary Taylor  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #40646)

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Distribution of Epilobium montanum
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Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from a fleshy underground stolon, in the fall producing short above or below ground stolons with fleshy pink or white scales, ending in leafy rosettes; stems erect, slender, (5) 20-60 cm tall, round, often reddish, nearly glabrous or with sparse short curved hairs.
Leaves:
Mostly opposite or occasionally in whorls of 3, egg-shaped to lanceolate, 4-7 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, tips pointed, bases rounded, nearly glabrous but hairy on margins and veins, margins sharply and irregularly toothed; stalks to 6 mm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a terminal leafy raceme, somewhat drooping in young buds; petals longer than wide, 8-10 mm long, pale rose, deeply notched; sepals 5-6.5 mm long, somewhat pointed, often reddish; stigmas of 4 short lobes, not rolled under, exceeded by longest stamens.
Fruits:
Capsules, 4-8 cm long, downy-hairy, with short, curved hairs; seeds 1-1.2 mm long, narrowly egg-shaped, blunt at base, reddish-brown, densely pimpled.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Mesic to dry waste places in the lowland zone; rare in SW BC, known only from the lower Fraser Valley; introduced from Eurasia.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References