[Grass-of-Parnassus: The Genus Parnassia West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus

Parnassia fimbriata

Synonym: Parnassia fimbriata var. fimbriata

Flower of Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus: Parnassia fimbriata (Synonym: Parnassia fimbriata var. fimbriata)

Flower of fringed grass-of-parnassus from along the Lostine River, near the Eagle Cap Wilderness.......July 26, 1997. Note the fringes along the margins of the petals.

Leaf of Fringed Grass-of-Parnassus: Parnassia fimbriata (Synonym: Parnassia fimbriata var. fimbriata)

Photo at right of a leaf of fringed grass-of-parnassus from along the Lostine River, near the Eagle Cap Wilderness....July 26, 1997.

Characteristics:

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.

Habitat:

Fringed grass-of-parnassus may be found in marshes, bogs, wet meadows and along streams in the lower mountains up to the alpine zone.

Range:

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.

Paul Slichter