Claytonia lanceolata var. lanceolata Pall. ex Pursh
Species Image Gallery
(opens in a new window)
 
TAXONOMY
 
Family: Portulacaceae
Genus: Claytonia
 
Species Synonyms: Claytonia caroliniana var. lanceolata (Pursh) S. Wats.
Common Names: lanceleaf springbeauty
western springbeauty
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southern British Columbia – southwestern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan: southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills
Ecoregion: Cypress Upland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: woods, clearings, shrublands, and prairie ravines
Canada: rich woods, alluvial thickets, and moist slopes
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Threatened
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Claytonia lanceolata var. lanceolata is threatened because of rarity in Saskatchewan. It is regionally restricted in the province. No immediate threats are known but may occur in the future.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 5 – 20 cm
Stems: subterranean tubers globose, 5 – 20 mm diameter; above ground stems unbranched, succulent, glabrous
Leaves: basal leaves 1 – 6, often absent at flowering, petioled, 5 – 40 cm long, 2 – 15 mm wide, linear to lanceolate; cauline leaves 2, sessile, 1 – 6 cm long, 5 – 20 mm wide, ovate to narrowly lanceolate
Inflorescence: raceme 3 – 15-flowered, short; bracts 1
Flowers: calyx 4 – 6 mm, ovate; corolla 5 – 20 mm, white to pink, rose, magenta, yellow; stamens 5
Fruits: capsule; seeds shiny, black, smooth, elaiosome present
 
PORTULACACEAE KEY FOR GENERA FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Stems prostrate; flowers yellow; ovary inferior to half-inferior
Portulaca
1 Stems erect; flowers white to pink or yellow; ovary superior
2
   
2 Roots fibrous, rhizome present or absent; cauline leaves several; stems branched
Montia
2 Taproot, tuber may be present; cauline leaves 2; stems unbranched
Claytonia