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November 20, 2009 : Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala
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Plant Family / Families: Ranunculaceae
Scientific Name and Author: Caltha leptosepala DC. var. leptosepala
Map Location: via Google Maps
Name Location: Mt. Cheam, near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
White marsh-marigold or mountain marsh-marigold is an early bloomer on local mountains (this photograph is from June 26). Other plants in flower at the time on Mt. Cheam included violets, Erythronium grandiflorum, Phlox diffusa, Potentilla flabellifolia and Saxifraga oppositifolia. In British Columbia, this taxon is found at elevations ranging from 1300-1900m, with a preference for a southern exposure.
Caltha leptosepala var. leptosepala is one of two varieties recognized in E-Flora BC. The other is Caltha leptosepala var. biflora. However, the Flora of North America lumps the two together as Caltha leptosepala, and describes the taxon as "morphologically complex".
Intriguingly, this is one of the few members of the buttercup family that has a historical use of being eaten raw (most members of the family are poisonous). Plants of Coastal British Columbia notes that "the leaves and flower buds were eaten raw or cooked by Alaskan native people". The book also makes mention of the roots being boiled and appearing like sauerkraut (no mention of taste is given).
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at November 20, 2009 4:55 PM
Comments
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Posted by: kate at November 20, 2009 6:19 PM
thank you daniel for your fine photos
i can feel the wind and the waves
i just came back from a web site called
vancouver trails a number of you tube
films to see where you were and
how you got there quite a trip
nature is the best carpet maker af all time
the little insect? made a fine landing
thank you
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at November 20, 2009 6:30 PM
Cute little flowers. I wonder if they make tea with them too.
Is that snow I see on the edge of the photo? Very neat.
Posted by: Cambree at November 20, 2009 6:34 PM
Cute flower and most unusual photo of water, flowery strand and clouds. It looks like they are growing on the edge of the mountain or a waterfall... intriguing,
Posted by: MsWinterfinch at November 21, 2009 3:36 AM
Those clouds are snow. Isn't that amazing? Tea, don't know, but the marsh marigolds are edible, aren't they?
Posted by: Connie at November 21, 2009 7:01 AM
That must have been amazing to find! Wonderful, the flowers look like a trail left by the receding snow.
Posted by: lindsay at November 21, 2009 10:44 AM
Here in Illinois we have the yellow-flowered Caltha palustris, which has more of an upright habit, to catch more of the sunlight in the wet flatwoods and woodland edges it inhabits here. It is interesting to see the morphological and bloom time differences between the two species. Here in the Chicago area C. palustris blooms in April! - KMG
Posted by: Kathleen at November 22, 2009 6:16 AM
you might be thinking of Marsh tea which is also called Labrador tea ledum latifolium. aren't most flowers edible?
Posted by: beverley bowhay at November 22, 2009 12:20 PM
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Botany Photo of the Day is a project of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. UBC BGCPR is a department of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems within The University of British Columbia.
oh my goodness this is so beautiful!