Species: Parnassia palustris var. parviflora (DC.) Boivin

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Parnassia palustris var. parviflora (DC.) Boivin

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Saxifragaceae

Genus:

Parnassia

Species Synonyms:

Parnassia parviflora DC.

Common Names:

smallflower grass-of-parnassus

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

northern British Columbia – western Alberta, southeastern Saskatchewan, Ontario – Quebec – Labrador – Newfoundland – Nova Scotia

Saskatchewan:

southeastern Saskatchewan; Strawberry Lakes – Qu’Appelle River Valley

Ecoregion:

Aspen Parkland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

wet areas

Canada:

bogs and wet meadows

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G4T4 ST1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Smallflower grass-of-parnassus is threatened because it is extremely rare and is only known from two locations in Saskatchewan. Possible threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

5 – 30 cm

Roots:

fibrous

Stems:

generally leafless, slender

Leaves:

basal, 1 – 2 cm long, 7 – 20 mm wide, oval, tapering to a stalk; stem leaf inserted at or below the middle, sessile, 7 – 15 mm long, narrow

Inflorescence:

flowers solitary, terminal

Flowers:

sepal lobes 3 – 6 mm long, ascending in flower and fruit, lance-shaped; petals 5 – 9 mm long, slightly longer than the sepals, elliptical to oblong, 5 – 7-nerved; sterile stamens 5 – 7 on each scale; stamens 4 – 7 mm long, surpassing the sterile stamens

Fruits:

capsule ovoid

PARNASSIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Sterile stamens with up to 15 divisions	P. palustris var. tenuis
1 Sterile stamens with no more than 9 divisions	2

2 Petals shorter than to equalling sepals, 3-nerved; stem naked or with a leaf close to the base	P. kotzebuei
2 Petals longer than sepals, with at least 5 nerves; stem usually with a leaf at or below the middle	3

3 Petals more than 3 times as long as the sepal lobes; calyx lobes reflexed at maturity; stems with a waxy coating	P. glauca
3 Petals less than 2 times as long as the sepal lobes; calyx lobes ascending; stems without a waxy coating	4

4 Leaves acute at base; stem leaf small, narrowed to base	P. palustris var. parviflora
4 Leaves heart-shaped at base; stem leaf often heart-shaped and clasping	P. palustris var. montanensis