Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Celastrales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Parnassia caroliniana
FAMILY
Parnassiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Carolina Grass-of-Parnassus at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Check out Jim Fowler's blog describing an October trip to NC's Green Swamp with Carolina Grass-of-Parnassus, Slender Rattlesnake-root, Long-lipped Ladies’-tresses orchid, and Pine Barren Gentian in glorious bloom.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Parnassia caroliniana
FAMILY
Saxifragaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Parnassia caroliniana
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 094-06-002:
Parnassia caroliniana FAMILY Saxifragaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Parnassia caroliniana
COMMON NAME:
Carolina Grass-of-Parnassus, Savanna Parnassia, Eyebright
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Alan S. Weakley asw_198041746304429
April FL
Apalachicola National Forest
)
Jim Fowler jafparnassiacaroliniana01
November Brunswick County NC
Green Swamp
Main parallel veins usually not dilated toward apex; outermost vein branching, per Weakley's Flora.
)
Jim Fowler jafparnassiacaroliniana03
November Brunswick County NC
Green Swamp
Midway between petal base & apex, (9)11-17 main parallel veins; ovary white, per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow jkm151121_027
November Mecklenburg County NC
UNCC McMillan Greenhouse
)
JK Marlow jkm151121_030
November Mecklenburg County NC
UNCC McMillan Greenhouse
Leaves nearly all basal, broadly ovate; 1-2 smaller leaves on flower stems, per Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011).
)
JK Marlow jkm151121_033
November Mecklenburg County NC
UNCC McMillan Greenhouse
Flowers grow singly atop stems 8-20" tall, per Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011).
)
JK Marlow jkm151121_044
November Mecklenburg County NC
UNCC McMillan Greenhouse
The creamy white ovary turns brown with age, per Atlantic Coastal Plain Wildflowers (Nelson, 2006).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Parnassia caroliniana
FAMILY
Parnassiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Parnassia caroliniana
FAMILY
Saxifragaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Parnassia caroliniana
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 094-06-002:
Parnassia caroliniana
FAMILY
Saxifragaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Parnassia caroliniana
2298
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Wet longleaf pine, pond pine, or pond cypress savannas (especially but not strictly where shallowly underlain by coquina limestone), sandhill seepage bogs, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly basal
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
White
Radially symmetrical
5 sepals
5 petals
5 stamens & 5 staminodia
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Wildflowers (Nelson, 2006) p152
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p319
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p390
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p138
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p025
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p166
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