Photo at right shows a close-up of the staminodia and fringed petals
of fringed grass-of-parnassus (var. fimbriata) as seen on the western slopes
of Mt. Adams........July 2005. Note that the staminodia
are yellowish and thick.
Fringed grass-of-parnassus is an attractive perennial wildflower with single or clustered stems from 15-30 cm high arising from a cluster of basal leaves atop short rhizomes. A heart-shape bract from 5-15 mm long may be found clasping the stem near to above midstem. The herbage is smooth. The blades of the basal leaves are heart- or kidney-shaped and 2-4 cm wide. The leaf blades are slightly longer than wide. The petioles are 3-10 cm long.
The white flowers are solitary at the top of the stems. Each of the 5 petals are 8-12 mm long, and each has 5-7 veins. The margins of the lower half of the petals are covered with numerous thick and tangled white hairs. Five fertile stamens are found spreading between the petals. The filaments are white with yellow anthers. in addition, the flowers have sterile stamens which look like thick greenish-yellow disks with several lobes, each with a rounded disk found at the petal bases.
Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus: Parnassia fimbriata var. intermedia - Leaves basal and broadly heart- or kidney-shaped. Leaf margins entire. Flowers large and showy, with 5 white petals which are fringed at their bases. Staminodia short and thin - at least 12 staminodial segments present.
Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus: Parnassia fimbriata var. fimbriata - Leaves basal and broadly heart- or kidney-shaped. Leaf margins entire. Flowers large and showy, with 5 white petals which are fringed at their bases. Staminodia short and thick.
Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus: Parnassia fimbriata var. hoodiana - Leaves basal and broadly heart- or kidney-shaped. Leaf margins entire. Flowers large and showy, with 5 white petals which are fringed at their bases. Staminodia longer and thinner, less than 10 staminodial segments present.
Fringed grass-of-parnassus may be found in marshes, bogs, wet meadows and along streams in the lower mountains up to the alpine zone.
Fringed grass-of-parnassus may be found from Alaska south to California and east to western Alberta, and south in the Rockies to New Mexico.
In the Columbia River Gorge, variety fimbriata may be found at an elevation of 3700'-4000' in the Mark Hatfield Wilderness near Wahtum Lake, and variety hoodiana may be found between the elevations of 2700'-3400' between Larch Mt. and Nesmith Pt.
