Kalmia microphylla

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Kalmia microphylla
Kalmia microphylla 0601.JPG
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Kalmia
Species:
K. microphylla
Binomial name
Kalmia microphylla
(Hook.) A.Heller

Kalmia microphylla, known as alpine laurel, [2] [3] bog laurel, [4] [5] swamp-laurel, [6] western bog-laurel [7] or western laurel, [3] is a species of Kalmia of the family Ericaceae. It is native to North America and can be found throughout the western US and western and central Canada below the subarctic. [2]

Contents

Etymology

Kalmia, the genus, is named after Swedish-Finn botanist Pehr Kalm, a student of Carl Linnaeus, while microphylla derives from Ancient Greek meaning "small leaves". [5]

Description

Kalmia microphylla are characterized as being short, shrubs that have a maximum height of 24 inches and their growth rarely surpasses 6 ft. [3] This plant is easily mistaken for the K. polifolia "bog-laurel" because of the similar characteristics of their flowers. K. microphylla can be distinguished by their clusters of pink or purple bell shaped flowers. [6] The flowers are held within five fused petals that open in the shape of a cup. The stamens held within the petals react to insects that land on them by covering them with pollen. The plant produces green fruits, which are small and hard in form. Fruits are five parted capsules. [8] The leaves of this plant are oppositely attached and are not deciduous. Leaves are distinctly lanceolate in shape with rolled leaf edges, a leathery texture, and dark green color. The plant's branches and twigs are fuzzy in early growth and then during maturity become smooth and reddish brown to grayish in color.

Distribution and habitat

This is a perennial species and has active growth during spring and summer. These plants can frequently be found in alpine meadows, [9] open wet areas [6] and bogs. [4] The habitat in which it optimally grows in open heath or shrublands with moist soil. The soil must have very low levels of calcium carbonate because the plant is intolerant of alkaline conditions. Distribution of Kalmia microphylla ranges from Alaska to California and now has expanded through much of northern Canada. [10]

Uses

The kalmias are very poisonous plants, containing grayanotoxin. [11] Kalmia microphylla has also been used for medicinal purposes in creating external washes for skin diseases. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Kalmia latifolia</i> Species of plant

Kalmia latifolia, the mountain laurel, calico-bush, or spoonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It is the namesake of Laurel County in Kentucky, the city of Laurel, Mississippi, and the Laurel Highlands in southwestern Pennsylvania.

<i>Kalmia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the heath family Ericaceae

Kalmia is a genus of about ten species of evergreen shrubs from 0.2–5 m tall, in the family Ericaceae. They are native to North America and Cuba. They grow in acidic soils, with different species in wet acid bog habitats and dry, sandy soils.

<i>Arctous alpina</i> Species of flowering plant

Arctous alpina, the alpine bearberry, mountain bearberry or black bearberry, is a dwarf shrub in the heather family Ericaceae. The basionym of this species is Arbutus alpinaL..

<i>Kalmia polifolia</i> Species of shrub

Kalmia polifolia, previously known as Kalmia glauca and commonly called bog laurel, swamp laurel, or pale laurel, is a perennial evergreen shrub of cold acidic bogs, in the family Ericaceae. It is native to north-eastern North America, from Newfoundland to Hudson Bay southwards.

<i>Rosa nutkana</i> Species of plant

Rosa nutkana, the Nootka rose, bristly rose, or wild rose is a 0.6–3.0-metre-tall (2–10-foot) perennial shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae).

<i>Chamaedaphne</i> Genus of flowering plants

Chamaedaphne calyculata, known commonly as leatherleaf or cassandra, is a perennial dwarf shrub in the plant family Ericaceae and the only species in the genus Chamaedaphne. It is commonly seen in cold, acidic bogs and forms large, spreading colonies.

<i>Kalmia angustifolia</i> Species of shrub

Kalmia angustifolia is a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as sheep laurel. It is distributed in eastern North America from Ontario and Quebec south to Virginia. It grows commonly in dry habitats in the boreal forest, and may become dominant over large areas after fire or logging. Like many plant species of infertile habitats it has evergreen leaves and mycorrhizal associations with fungi. It is also found in drier areas of peat bogs.

<i>Fritillaria pudica</i> Species of flowering plant

Fritillaria pudica, the yellow fritillary, is a small perennial plant found in the sagebrush country in the western United States and Canada. It is a member of the lily family Liliaceae. Another common name is "yellow bells", since it has a bell-shaped yellow flower. It may be found in dryish, loose soil; it is amongst the first plants to flower after the snow melts, but the flower does not last very long; as the petals age, they turn a brick-red colour and begin to curl outward. The flowers grow singly or in pairs on the stems, and the floral parts grow in multiples of threes. The species produces a small corm, which forms corms earning the genus the nickname 'riceroot'. During his historic journey, Meriwether Lewis collected a specimen while passing through Idaho in 1806.

<i>Iris missouriensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Iris missouriensis is a hardy flowering rhizomatous species of the genus Iris, in the family Iridaceae. Its common names include western blue flag, Rocky Mountain iris, and Missouri flag.

<i>Sorbus sitchensis</i>

Sorbus sitchensis, commonly known as western mountain ash and Sitka mountain-ash, is a small species of shrub of north-western North America.

<i>Sambucus racemosa</i> Species of plant

Sambucus racemosa is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and red-berried elder.

<i>Caltha leptosepala</i> Species of flowering plant

Caltha leptosepala, the white marsh marigold, twinflowered marsh marigold, or broadleaved marsh marigold, is a North American species of flowering plant in the buttercup family. The species has regionally distinct variations.

<i>Epacris microphylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris microphylla , commonly known as coral heath, is a plant in the heath family Ericaceae and which is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a common, wiry shrub with tiny leaves that are often obscured by the flowers, especially near the ends of the stems. The plant sometimes grows in dense groups, giving the effect of a snowfall.

<i>Trautvetteria caroliniensis</i> Species of flowering plants

Trautvetteria caroliniensis is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to North America. It is known by the common names Carolina bugbane, false bugbane, and tassel-rue. The genus is named for the botanist Ernst Rudolf von Trautvetter.

<i>Pentachondra pumila</i> Species of flowering plant

Pentachondra pumila, also known as carpet heath, is a small alpine shrub in the epacris family (Ericaceae). It is commonly found in Australia and New Zealand in areas of high rainfall, being known for its small white flowers as well as its red, hollow fruit that grows on branch ends. It is distinguishable as a prostrate, mat-like shrub, growing in rocky or boggy alpine areas. The fruit is edible and is a food source for many species of bird.

<i>Vaccinium oxycoccos</i> Species of flowering plant

Vaccinium oxycoccos is a species of flowering plant in the heath family. It is known as small cranberry, marshberry, bog cranberry, swamp cranberry, or, particularly in Britain, just cranberry. It is widespread throughout the cool temperate northern hemisphere, including northern Europe, northern Asia and northern North America.

<i>Epacris rhombifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris rhombifolia commonly known as mountain coral heath, is a plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect, multi-stemmed shrub with broad, rhombic leaves and white flowers with four petals, the flowers spreading down the branches. It only grows in wet, subalpine heath and is sometimes regarded as a variety of Epacris microphylla.

<i>Platanthera dilatata</i> Species of orchid

Platanthera dilatata, known as tall white bog orchid, bog candle, or boreal bog orchid is a species of orchid, a flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae, native to North America. It was first formally described in 1813 by Frederick Traugott Pursh as Orchis dilatata.

References

  1. NatureServe (2024). "Kalmia microphylla". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 "PLANTS Profile for Kalmia microphylla (alpine laurel)". United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  3. 1 2 3 Faucon, Phillipe. "Alpine Laurel, Western Laurel". Desert Tropicals. Archived from the original on 2012-11-10. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  4. 1 2 Fertig, Walter. "Bog Laurel (Kalmia microphylla)". Plant of the Week. USDA, U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  5. 1 2 Fagan, Damian (2006). Pacific Northwest Wildflowers. p. 172. ISBN   9780762735723 . Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Alpine Laurel". Montana plant life. Montana.Plant-Life.org. Archived from the original on 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  7. Hong, Qian; Klinka, Karel (1998). Plants of British Columbia. p. 62. ISBN   9780774806527 . Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  8. "Kalmia microphylla fact sheet: alpine laurel". VTree ID. Virgnina Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Archived from the original on 2013-06-24. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  9. "Checklist: Ericaceae (Heath Family)". Washington Flora Checklist. University of Washington Herbarium, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture . Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  10. "Kalmia microphylla". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  11. Fagan, Damian (2019). Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and High Desert. Guilford, CT: FalconGuides. p. 193. ISBN   1-4930-3633-5. OCLC   1073035766.