Bartsia alpina

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 602. 1753. name conserved

Common names: Velvet bells alpine bartsia tornarsup-narsue djaevelens blomster bartsie alpine alpenhelm
Illustrated
Synonyms: Bartsia alpina var. jensenii Lange B. alpina var. pallida Wormskjold ex Lange
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 489. Mentioned on page 488.

Perennials simple or branched, 10–30 cm. Leaves 4–10 pairs, divaricate; blade ovate, (5–)10–25 x (6–)9–17 mm, rugose, abaxial surface glabrescent to hirsute, adaxial glabrescent. Inflorescences with 2–8 pairs of flowers; bracts resembling foliage leaves, distal ones violet. Pedicels 2–4 mm. Flowers +/- divaricate, 15–20 mm; calyx green, often with violet markings, 5–9 mm, divided less than 1/2 length, hirsute; corolla scarcely curved, pilose, galea 3–5 mm, divided from abaxial lip less than 1/4 length of corolla, abaxial lip 2–3 mm; stamens included, 1/3–1/2 length of corolla from base, extending to abaxial lip; anthers white, equal, apex mucronate, villous; style 14–20 mm, stigma +/- exserted. Capsules ovoid, terete, 6–10 mm. Seeds 1.4–2 mm. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Subarctic and arctic tundra, lakeshores, fens.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

Greenland, Man., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Europe.

Discussion

Bartsia alpina has been reported to parasitize a wide range of hosts, including members of Ericaceae, Fabaceae, and Poaceae (U. Molau 1990). Outside the flora area, it occurs throughout northern Europe and in disjunct populations in the Alps and Pyrenees.

Bartsia alpina has been divided into varieties based primarily on variation in the color of the corolla. The most common form has violet corollas; other populations throughout the range occasionally include individuals with pale violet to yellow corollas. U. Molau (1990) reported that these forms are likely an expression of phenotypic variation induced by infection by either a gall fly or imperfect fungus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Bartsia alpina"
Christopher P. Randle +  and Simon Uribe-Convers +
Linnaeus +
Velvet bells +, alpine bartsia +, tornarsup-narsue +, djaevelens blomster +, bartsie alpine +  and alpenhelm +
Greenland +, Man. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.W.T. +, Nunavut +, Ont. +, Que. +  and Europe. +
0–1000 m. +
Subarctic and arctic tundra, lakeshores, fens. +
Flowering Jun–Aug. +
Illustrated +
Bartsia alpina var. jensenii +  and B. alpina var. pallida +
Bartsia alpina +
species +