Enchanter's nightshade | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Onagraceae |
Genus: | Circaea |
Species: | C. alpina
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Binomial name | |
Circaea alpina | |
Range within North America |
Circaea alpina, commonly called alpine enchanter's nightshade or small enchanter's nightshade, is a 10–30 cm tall perennial herb found in cool forests of the Northern Hemisphere. [1] [2]
The leaves are opposite, ovate, 2–6 cm and coarsely dentate. The 1.5–4 cm (0.6–1.6 in) petioles have a wing beneath. The flowers and fruits are clustered near the top of the fruiting raceme; each raceme bears 15 or less white or pink flowers in mid-May through early September. [3] [4] [5] Each flower has two white to light pink petals 1–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) long with two lobes. The two white sepals are 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) long. [3] The fruit is a small bur with one seed. C. alpina can reproduce vegetatively and via stolons. [2]
In North America, Circaea alpina is distributed throughout all of Canada and North Carolina through Maine and New Mexico through Washington. [6] [7] In Eurasia, the range of C. alpina includes Northern Europe south to Albania and Bulgaria and east to Korea and Japan. [1] C. alpina prefers a moist, upland habitat. [8] It is generally found in forests or near streams from sea level to 3,000 metres (10,000 ft). [6]
Circaea alpina will hybridize with Circaea lutetiana producing sterile offspring that persists in vegetative colonies. [8]