Trientalis europaea ssp. arctica (Fisch. ex Hook.) Hultén
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Primulaceae
Genus: Trientalis
 
Species Synonyms: Trientalis arctica Fish. ex Hook.
Trientalis europaea var. arctica (Fish. ex Hook.) Ledeb.
Common Names: arctic starflower
European starflower
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: Yukon – southwestern Mackenzie District, British Columbia – northern Alberta – northern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan: northern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca south shore – La Loche – Wathaman River
Ecoregion: Mid-Boreal Upland, Churchill River Upland, Athabasca Plain
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: mossy woods
Associated Species: Alnus sp., Betula sp., Salix sp.
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Endangered
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Trientalis europaea ssp. arctica is endangered because of extreme rarity in Saskatchewan. Local population sizes vary. No threats are known or anticipated for this species.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 4 – 15 cm
Roots: slender
Stems: erect, unbranched, often glandular above, bracts below leaves green
Leaves: in one terminal whorl of 5 – 9 leaves, sessile or short-petiolate, 2 – 6 cm long, oblanceolate or obovate, base cuneate, apex acute to obtuse, margin entire or nearly so
Inflorescence: flowers solitary or few, axillary; pedicels filiform
Flowers: calyx 5 – 7-parted, linear, green; corolla 8 – 15 mm wide, ovate, apex abruptly acuminate or acute, white; stamens usually 7, filaments united at base
Fruits: capsule globose; seeds few
 
TRIENTALIS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Leaves lanceolate, apex acuminate; bracts below leaves scale-like
T. borealis
1 Leaves oblanceolate, apex acute to obtuse; bracts below leaves leaf-like but reduced
T. europaea ssp. arctica