Panarctic Flora

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420105 Stellaria crassifolia Ehrh.

Distribution

Northern Iceland: Frequent
Northern Fennoscandia: Frequent
Kanin - Pechora: Scattered
Polar Ural - Novaya Zemlya: Frequent
Yamal - Gydan: Scattered
Taimyr - Severnaya Zemlya: Scattered
Anabar - Onenyo: Rare
Kharaulakh: Scattered
Yana - Kolyma: Rare
West Chukotka: Rare
Wrangel Island: Rare
South Chukotka: Rare
East Chukotka: Scattered
Western Alaska: Frequent
Northern Alaska - Yukon: Frequent
Central Canada: Scattered
Hudson Bay - Labrador: Scattered
Mid Arctic Tundra: Rare
Southern Arcti Tundra: Scattered
Shrub Tundra: Frequent
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Frequent

2n= 26 (2x). - Europe (N), Far East (N), Canada. - Numerous reports.

Geography: Circumboreal-polar: ICE NOR RUS SIB RFE ALA CAN.

Notes: Some northern European authors (e.g., Hämet-Ahti et al. 1998; Elven et al. 2005) accept two eco-geographical races of Stellaria crassifolia: the non-maritime var. crassifolia (var. paludosa (Laest.) Fr.) and the maritime var. minor Wahlenb. (var. brevifolia (Rafn) Fr.). Borgen and Often (2001) did not accept these Nordic races. They might nevertheless deserve attention as they differ discontinuously in some characters, e.g., in the regular presence of late season gemmae in var. minor vs. absent in var. crassifolia, strongly glaucous and subsucculent leaves vs. green and not succulent, and in few or single flowers in the inflorescence vs. numerous. In northern Europe, var. minor is common north to the southern arctic seashores, especially in driftwall vegetation (and also in some inland sites), whereas var. crassifolia is a swamp, spring, freshwater shore, and mire plant not reported to reach the Arctic.

There are morphological differences between North Atlantic and North Pacific plants. The North Pacific plants differ from both the northern European varieties and they are not nearly as maritime as var. minor either.

Higher Taxa