There is something magical about Marsh grass of Parnassus. Maybe because of its beautiful pure white flowers intersected with decorative green veins. Or because it was once so common in the Netherlands but is now so rare. Nowadays, it is legally protected in this country. The name itself is majestic, named after the Greek mountain Parnassus which was dedicated to the god Apollo. Marsh grass of Parnassus grows in clumps, each plant producing one flower flaunting at the top of a long bare stem.

Parnassia palustris L.:
Canada (North America)
Japan (Asia)
Kazakhstan (Asia)
Mongolia (Asia)
Russian Federation (Asia)
South Korea (Asia)
United States (North America)
China (Asia)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Shanxi, N Xinjiang [Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia; Europe, North America].

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Distribution: Fairly common in the temperate and alpine regions of Europe, N. Asia and N. America, grows mostly in moist and boggy places in grass.

Plants 11-40 cm tall. Radical leaves broadly cordate, 1-2 cm long, 0.6-l.8 cm broad, somewhat glaucous, cauline leaf situated below the middle of the scape. Scape angular. Flowers 1.5-2 cm in diameter. Calyx tube c.1 mm long, lobes 4-5 mm long, c.2-2.5 mm broad, elliptic, acute, brown spotted. Petals 0.7-1 cm long, 5-7 mm broad, oblong-ovate, obtuse, usually 9 nerved, nerves mostly parallel and convergent at the top; staminodes spathulate, ending in 9-17 lobes tipped with pseudo-nectaries. Capsule globose, c.1 cm long; seeds minute, somewhat cylindrical, testa loose, reticulate.

Stems 2-4(-7), 12-20(-30) cm, usually with 1 leaf near middle. Basal leaves 3 to numerous; petiole 3-6(-8) cm; leaf blade abaxially greenish, often purple punctate, adaxially deep green, ovate or long ovate, occasionally triangular-ovate, 1.5-3 × 1-2.5 cm, base subcordate, apex rounded-obtuse or acuminate, often apiculate. Cauline leaf sessile, semiamplexicaul, similar to basal leaves, base often with several rusty brown appendages. Flower 2.2-3(-3.5) cm in diam.; hypanthium inconspicuous. Sepals densely purple-brown punctate, elliptic or oblong, 5-8 × 3-5 mm, margin entire, apex obtuse. Petals white, often purple punctate, broadly ovate or obovate, 1-1.5(-1.8) × 0.7-1(-13) cm, base with a short claw, margin entire or occasionally inconspicuously erose, apex rounded-obtuse or shortly acuminate. Anthers ellipsoid, ca. 3 mm; filaments 2.2-7 mm; staminodes to 1 cm, divided into (7-)9-21 filiform rays with globose glands at apex. Ovary superior, ovoid; style very short; stigma 4-lobed. Capsule ovoid. Seeds brown, glossy, oblong. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Oct. 2n = 18, (27), 36.

Moist grassy slopes, streamsides, shaded moist places in valleys, grassy fields; 1200-2200 m.

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
aecium of Puccinia uliginosa parasitises live Parnassia palustris

Fl. Per.: June-August.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


No available public DNA sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Specimens with Barcodes: 34
Species With Barcodes: 1

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Comments: This broad concept includes Parnassia multiseta and Parnassia parviflora which were recognized as distinct species in Kartesz (1994).