Pectiantia pentandra
five-stamened mitrewort
Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
five-stamened mitrewort
Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from slender rhizomes, sometimes with stolons; stems erect, 20-40 cm tall, glandular- or fine glandular-hairy to almost smooth.
Leaves:
Basal leaves egg-shaped with heart-shaped bases, 2-5 cm wide, slightly longer, shallowly 5- to 9-lobed, doubly sharp-toothed, nearly smooth to stiff-hairy, long-stalked; stem leaves absent or of 1 or 2 membranous bracts.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a spike-like cluster of 6 to 25 flowers, blossoming upward, the flower stalks 2-7 mm long; petals greenish, 2-3 mm long, the claw slender, the blades dissected into 8 (4-10) linear, opposite segments; calyces saucer-shaped, 3-4 mm wide, joined to ovary for part of length; free hypanthium thinly gland-lined, somewhat spreading; calyx lobes 5, triangular, spreading to bent back; stamens 5, opposite the petals.
Fruits:
Capsules; seeds black, veiny-pitted.
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
Habitat and Range
Moist to wet woodlands, streambanks, meadows, avalanche tracks and talus slopes from the montane to alpine zones; frequent throughout BC except NE BC; N to AK and YT, E to AB and S to SD, CO, UT, NV and CA.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Mitella pentandra Hook.