northern starflower (arctic starflower)
Myrsinaceae (Myrsine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Map
Distribution of Trientalis europaea subsp. arctica
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend
Species Information
General:
Plants from a slender rhizome and a short, scarcely enlarged, horizontal tuber.
Leaves:
Leaves mostly whorled or densely crowded near the stem apex; primary leaves 3-8, lanceolate to oblanceolate or spatulate, widest at or above the midpoint, apices acute to rounded, 2-6 cm; stem leaves reduced in size, alternate, 0.2-2 cm
Flowers:
Flowers 1-2 per plant; corollas usually white (sometimes faintly pink-tinged), 5-9 mm wide; corolla lobes ovate to lanceolate, apices acute to acuminate; pedicels equalling or longer than the leaves, sparsely to densely glandular, 1.5-5.5 cm. Flowering (Apr) May-Jul (Aug)
Fruits:
Fruits globose capsules, valvate; seeds black to reddish-brown, with a deciduous, white, net-like coating.
Stems:
Stems 5-20 cm tall.
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
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) |
563 | 0 | 1989 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
8 | 0 | 90 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
342 | 0 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
6 | 0 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
B | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
576 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
CWH | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
BWBS(6), CDF(2), CWH(300), ESSF(70), ICH(66), IDF(1), MH(25), MS(6), SBPS(2), SBS(96), SWB(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Moist to wet bogs, swamps, streambanks, meadows, and coniferous forests in the lowland, montane, and subalpine zones. Frequent in coastal, nw, and se BC; AK east to NWT, south to CA, ID; Eurasia.Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Trientalis arctica Fisch. ex Hook.
Trientalis europaea var. arctica (Fisch. ex Hook.) Ledeb.
Taxonomic Keys
1. Primary stem leaves lanceolate, oblanceolate or egg-shaped, rather abruptly sharp-pointed to blunt, 1-5 (8) cm long; reduced leaves scattered along stem below the terminal whorl; corollas usually white, 10-16 mm wide; flower stalks longer than main leaves; tubers not conspicuously enlarged, horizontal.....................T. europea ssp. arctica
1. Primary stem leaves broadly egg-shaped to elliptic, gradually tapering to sharp points, 3-10 cm long, all others reduced to tiny bracts along the stem below the terminal whorl, corollas pinkish to rose, or somewhat pinkish-lavender, 8-15 mm wide; flower stalks shorter than leaves; tubers 1-2 cm, ascending to erect.................T. borealis ssp. latifolia Source: Illustrated Flora of British Columbia |