Species: Tofieldia pusilla (Michx.) Pers.

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Tofieldia pusilla (Michx.) Pers.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Liliaceae

Genus:

Tofieldia

Species Synonyms:

Tofieldia palustris auct. non Huds.
Narthecium pusillum Michx.

Common Names:

Scotch false asphodel
small false asphodel

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

Yukon Territory – Mackenzie District – Victoria Island – northern Ungava – Baffin Island – Labrador, south to southeastern British Columbia – northeastern Saskatchewan – northern Manitoba – northern Ontario – eastern Quebec –Nova Scotia – Newfoundland

Saskatchewan:

northeastern Saskatchewan; Hasbala Lake – Patterson Lake

Ecoregion:

Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

muskegs, boulder ledges

Associated species:

black spruce, bog blueberry, dwarf birch, tufted bulrush

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Scotch false asphodel is endangered because it is rare and is restricted to the northeastern Saskatchewan. No threats are known or anticipated for this species at the present time.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

5 – 20 cm

Roots:

rhizomes 1 – 3 cm thick

Stems:

slender, hairless, bractless or occasionally 1-bracted

Leaves:

basal, numerous in tufts, with the edges oriented towards the stem, 2 – 8 cm long, 3 mm wide

Inflorescence:

unbranched, 3 – 35-flowered; bracts whitish, margins deeply 3-lobed; flower stalks solitary, 1 – 3 mm long

Flowers:

tepals 1.5 – 3 mm long, inner tepals slightly longer than outer, whitish or greenish; stamens equalling tepals

Fruits:

capsule 2 – 3 mm, nearly round; seeds not appendaged

LILIACEAE KEY FOR GENERA FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Leaves whitish, reduced to scales, photosynthetic parts branched with needle-like segments; flowers axillary	Asparagus
1 Leaves green, not reduced to scales; flowers terminal or axillary	2

2 At least some leaves whorled, occasionally upper or lowermost alternate or opposite; flowers large	3
2 Leaves all alternate or basal; flowers small	4

3 Leaves oval to diamond-shaped	Trillium
3 Leaves linear to broadly lance-shaped	Lilium

4 Leaves linear to narrowly lance-shaped, many times longer than wide; fruit dry	5
4 Leaves lance-shaped to ovate, only a few times longer than wide; fruit fleshy	8

5 Flowers in umbrella-like clusters; plants with an onion odour	Allium
5 Flowers in unbranched clusters; plants lacking an onion odour

6 Leaves with flat part of blade turned towards stem; bulbs present; tepals segments at least 6 mm long	Zigadenus
6 Leaves with edges turned towards stem; rootstocks present; tepals < 5 mm long	7

7 Stems smooth; flower stalks solitary; seeds without a tail-like appendage	Tofieldia
7 Stems glandular-hairy; flower stalks in clusters of 2 or 3; seeds with a tail-like appendage	Triantha

8 Leaves basal, with few on stem, reduced upwards, grass-like	Hypoxis
8 Leaves on the stem, usually without basal leaves, wider	9

9 Flowers axillary, greenish-white	10
9 Flowers terminal on stems or branches, yellow, whitish, or greenish-yellow	11

10 Tepals fused to form a tube; flowers 2 or more	Polygonatum
10 Tepals distinct; flowers 1 or 2	Streptopus

11 Stems simple; ovary with nectaries	Maianthemum
11 Stems branched distally; ovary lacking nectaries	Prosartes (formerly Disporum)