Hydrophyllum capitatum Douglas ex Benth.
Dwarf waterleaf (ballhead waterleaf; woolen-breeches)
Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Laure Wilson Neish     (Photo ID #14915)

Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Hydrophyllum capitatum
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SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Hydrophyllum capitatum var. capitatum

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a short, deep-seated rhizome with fleshy fibrous roots; stems spreading to ascending, solitary or few, hairy, 10-40 cm tall.
Leaves:
Mostly basal, 10-15 cm long, 7-10 cm wide, long-stalked, pinnatifid into 7-11 leaflets, these with rounded margins or the margins with toothed lobes.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of compact, branched, short-stalked clusters of funnel-shaped flowers, the inflorescence shorter than the leaves; corollas lavender or bluish-purple to white, 5-9 mm long, 5-lobed, the lobes 2-6 mm long; styles and stamens protruding beyond the corolla; calyces bristly-hairy with linear-oblong lobes.
Fruits:
Capsules, globose; seeds 1-3.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Purple
Blooming Period:
Early Spring
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Hydrophyllum capitatum

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

Avg

Min

Max
Elevation (metres)
 1395 426 2149
Slope Gradient (%)
 40 5 88

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

 182 55 340
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric] 		2 0 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
 C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
 73
Modal BEC Zone Class
 IDF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

 AT(7), ESSF(16), ICH(8), IDF(27), IMA(1), MS(9), PP(3), SBS(1)

Habitat and Range

Moist to dry meadows and forest openings in the steppe and montane zones; frequent in SC and SE BC; E to SW AB and S to CO and CA.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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