Broad-leaf Springbeauty, Broad-leaved Springbeauty, Heart-leaf Springbeauty, Broad-leaf Montia
Claytonia cordifolia
Synonyms: Claytonia sibirica var. cordifolia, Montia cordifolia
Photo
at right a close up of a flower of heart-leaf springbeauty as taken at seeps near
the head of Cougar Creek at about 4425' abreast a ridge between the Dairy Creek
and Cougar Creek drainages on the southeastern flanks of Mt. Adams..........May
29, 2005.
Heart-leaf springbeauty is an attractive perennial of moist places in the forest with a thick, horizontal rootstock from which arise clumps of one to several simple, unbranched stems from 10-30 cm high. There are several basal leaves which are cordate (heart-shaped), about 3-6 cm wide and almost as long with petioles 2-3 times longer than the blades. There are two opposite stem leaves which are broadly lanceolate to ovate and from 1-5 cm wide.
The inflorescence is a raceme arising from the axils of the stem leaves. The raceme is 4-12 flowered. On individual flowers, the 2 sepals are 2 mm long while the 5 white petals are from 8-13 mm long. There are 5 pink-tipped stamens.
Current classification has changed the genus name from Montia to Claytonia.
Heart-leaf springbeauty is found on wet soils, especially along streams or the edges of ponds, in moist, shady woods.
Heart-leaf springbeauty may be found from southern British Columbia south along both sides of the Cascade Mts. to northern California and east to western Montana and northern Utah.
In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 3000'-4000' from about as far west as Larch Mt. and about as far east as Grassy Knoll.
