Tofieldia pusilla

(Michaux) Persoon

Syn. Pl. 1: 399. 1805.

Common names: Scotch false asphodel
Illustrated
Basionym: Narthecium pusillum Michaux Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 209. 1803
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 61. Mentioned on page 59, 60.

Stems 1.5–30 cm. Leaf blades to 8 cm × 3 mm. Inflorescences open, 3–35-flowered, 0.3–5 cm; bracts whitish, margins deeply 3-lobed; bracteoles absent. Flowers: tepals white to yellowish green, 1.5–3 mm, inner tepals slightly longer than outer; stamens ± equaling tepals; ovary ellipsoid; styles 0.3–0.4 mm; pedicel 1–3 mm. Capsules subglobose, 2.5–3 mm. Seeds 0.6–0.8 mm. 2n = 30.


Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Moist, open areas, often calcareous
Elevation: 0–2300 m

Distribution

V26 29-distribution-map.jpg

Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Mich., Minn., Mont., Eurasia.

Discussion

What appear to be hybrids between Tofieldia pusilla and T. coccinea occasionally occur in Greenland and the Northwest Territories. They are characterized by a leafy bract at or near the middle of the stem and enlarged, crimson bracts below the pedicels. In some suspected hybrids, the bracts are absent, and fused bracteoles, trunctate or lobed, sheathe the pedicels well below the flowers.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Tofieldia pusilla"
John G. Packer +
(Michaux) Persoon +
Narthecium pusillum +
Scotch false asphodel +
Greenland +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.W.T. +, Nunavut +, Ont. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mont. +  and Eurasia. +
0–2300 m +
Moist, open areas, often calcareous +
Flowering summer. +
Illustrated +
Tofieldia pusilla +
Tofieldia +
species +