Montia parvifolia (Moc. ex DC.) Greene
small-leaved montia (littleleaf minerslettuce)
Montiaceae (Purslane family)
(Previously in Portulacaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Gary Ansell     (Photo ID #24918)

Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Montia parvifolia
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from slender rhizomes and stolons, sometimes forming large patches; stems ascending to erect, solitary to several, simple from the nodes of the rhizomes, 10-25 cm tall; vegetative stoloniferous branches up to 40 cm long.
Leaves:
Basal leaves many, egg-shaped, spoon-shaped or rounded, the blades 1.5-3 cm long, 2-20 mm wide, the stalks as long or longer than the blades; stem leaves several, lanceolate to egg-shaped or rounded, alternate, reduced, narrower than the basal leaves.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of bracteate, terminal racemes with 3-8 flowers on stalks 5-12 mm long; petals 5, pinkish or white with pink veins, 7-15 mm long; sepals 2, unequal, 2-3 mm long; stamens 5.
Fruits:
Capsules, egg-shaped, 3-valved; seeds 2, black, shiny, 1-1.5 mm long.
Notes:
Two intergrading taxa occur in BC:

1. Basal leaf blades narrowly egg-shaped to spoon-shaped, usually less than 5 mm wide; the common phase in BC........................ var. parvifolia.

1. Basal leaf blades rounded, usually more than 5 mm wide; infrequent along the coast......................var. Flagellaris (Bong.) C. L. Hitchc.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Montia parvifolia

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)
 771 10 2250
Slope Gradient (%)
 40 0 200

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

 168 20 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric] 		2 0 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
 B
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
 108
Modal BEC Zone Class
 CWH

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

 CDF(2), CWH(48), ESSF(13), ICH(24), IDF(6), MH(3), MS(3), PP(2)

Habitat and Range

Moist mossy rock outcrops, streambanks and shorelines in the lowland and montane zones; frequent in S BC; N to SE AK and SW YT, E to MB and S to MT, ID, UT and CA.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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