northern grass-of-Parnassus (marsh grass of Parnassus)
Celastraceae (Bittersweet family)
(Previously in Parnassiaceae)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a short rootstock and fibrous root; stems ascending to erect, usually solitary, simple, 10-25 (30) cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves egg-shaped to elliptic, 1-2 cm long, blunt to heart-shaped at the base, entire, the stalks 1.5-4 times as long as the blades; stem leaves solitary, reduced, 2.8-3 cm long, located below midlength.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of single terminal flowers; petals 5, white, narrowly to broadly egg-shaped, 6-12 mm long, usually 7- to 13-veined; sterile stamens with a thickened base flared upwards and divided into 15 slender segments.
Fruits:
Capsules egg-shaped, 10-12 mm long; seeds numerous.
Notes:
A poorly studied complex.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
White
Blooming Period:
Mid Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
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) |
1023 | 425 | 2000 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
6 | 0 | 77 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
27 | 8 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
6 | 2 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
D | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
147 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
BWBS | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
BAFA(1), BWBS(58), ESSF(27), ICH(8), IDF(4), IMA(1), MS(5), SBPS(6), SBS(20), SWB(4) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Moist to wet meadows, fens and streambanks in the montane and subalpine zones; common throughout all but extreme S BC east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to MI, ND, WY and CA; Iceland, Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Parnassia palustris var. montanensis (Fernald & Rydb. ex Rydb.) C.L. Hitchc.
Taxonomic Keys
1. Petals fringed or comb-like on the lower half...................P. fimbriata
1. Petals not frnged or comb-like on the lower half. 2. Flowering stems bractless or with a near-basal bract; petals 1-3 (5) veined.............P. kotzebuei 2. Flowering stems usually with a bract above the level of the basal leaves; petals 5-13-veined. 3. Petals 7-13-veined, 6-12 mm long; sterile stamens cleft into up to 15 slender divisions; leaves often blunt or heart-shaped at base...................P. palustris 3. Petals usually 5-veined, usually 4-8 mm long; sterile stamens cleft into up to 7 slender divisions; leaves tapered at base....................P. parviflora Source: Illustrated Flora of British Columbia |