520103 Epilobium arcticum Sam.
Distribution
Polar Ural - Novaya Zemlya: Scattered
Yamal - Gydan: Presence uncertain
Taimyr - Severnaya Zemlya: Rare
Kharaulakh: Rare
Yana - Kolyma: Rare
West Chukotka: Rare
Wrangel Island: Rare
East Chukotka: Scattered
Northern Alaska - Yukon: Rare
Central Canada: Scattered
Hudson Bay - Labrador: Scattered
Ellesmere Island: Rare
Western Greenland: Rare
Eastern Greenland: Scattered
Polar desert: Rare
Northern arctic Tundra: Scattered
Mid Arctic Tundra: Frequent
Southern Arcti Tundra: Frequent
Shrub Tundra: Scattered
Bordering boreal or alpine areas: Rare
- Sam., Bot. Not. 1922: 260 (1922). Lectotype (LE): European Russia: "Novaja Semlja, Grebovaja fiord", 02. Sept. 1921, leg. B. Lynge (Tzvelev 2007b: 252). - Epilobium davuricum subsp. arcticum (Sam.) P.H. Raven, Feddes Repert. 79: 61 (1968).
2n=
ca. 36 (4x?). - Canada (northern Quebec). - Gervais et al. (1999).
Geography: Nearly circumpolar: RUS SIB RFE ALA CAN GRL.
Notes: Elven, Solstad, and Murray: Skvortsov (1980a, PAF proposal) synonymized Epilobium arcticum with E. davuricum. Raven and Hoch (in comment, unpublished data) accepted E. arcticum apart from E. davuricum. They found E. arcticum, E. davuricum, and E. palustre to be three non-overlapping species. We support that conclusion from experience with all three species from several regions.
Hoch (unpublished data, in comment) considered E. arcticum restricted to North America: northern Alaska, mainland parts of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and Greenland north of 70N. The species was, however, originally described from "Groenlandia, Nova Zemblia, insula Waigatsch et Sibiria arctica". Samuelsson (1922) cited and illustrated specimens (syntypes) from all the mentioned areas. His illustrations clearly show E. arcticum. We have seen good material of the species in the field in northeastern Siberia (the Lena River region) and Chukotka, besides North America. This is a nearly circumpolar, high arctic species.
Higher Taxa
- Epilobium [5201,genus]