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

Montia chamissoi (Ledeb. ex Spreng.) Greene
Chamisso's montia (water minerslettuce)
Montiaceae (Purslane family)
(Previously in Portulacaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Adolf Ceska  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #13127)

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Distribution of Montia chamissoi
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Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from slender rhizomes and stolons, which produce bulblet-like offsets; stems erect, solitary, simple to branched, 5-20 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves reduced or lacking; stem leaves oblong to elliptic, tapering to the stalk, 4-7, opposite, 1-5 cm long, 0.2-1.8 cm wide.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of erect, terminal and axillary racemes with several flowers (which are sometimes replaced by bulblets) on stalks 8-30 mm long, erect in flower but nodding in bud; floral bract solitary at the base of the lowest stalk; petals 5, white or pink, 5-8 mm long; sepals 2, 2-3 mm long; stamens usually 5.
Fruits:
Capsules 2-3 mm long; seeds black, shiny, densely pimpled, oblong, 1-3 mm long, appendage flattened.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Bogs, marshes and streambanks in the lowland and montane zones; rare in coastal BC; N to AK, E to MB and S to NM and CA, disjunct in IA.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Montia chamissoi

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) 1103 1141 1220
Slope Gradient (%) 0 0 0
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
0
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 6 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
E
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
4
Modal BEC Zone Class
SBPS
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: SBPS(4)

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 chamissoi Ledeb. ex Spreng.
Crunocallis chamissoi (Ledeb. ex Spreng.) Rydb.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References