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Claytonia virginica

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Claytonia virginica
Eastern spring beauty at Radnor Lake
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Core eudicots
Order:
Caryophyllales
Family:
Portulacaceae
Genus:
Claytonia
Species:
C. virginica
Binomial name
Claytonia virginica

Claytonia virginica (L.), the Eastern spring beauty, Virginia spring beauty, or fairy-spuds, is an herbaceous perennial in the family Portulacaceae. Its native range is Eastern North America.[1] Its scientific name honors Colonial Virginia botanist John Clayton (1694–1773).

Description

Spring beauty is a perennial plant, overwintering through a corm. It is a trailing plant growing to 5–40 cm long. The leaves are slender lanceolate, 3–14 cm long and 0.5–1.3 cm broad, with a 6–20 cm long petiole. The flowers are 0.7–1.4 cm diameter with five pale pink or white (rarely yellow) petals. Flowering occurs between March and May depending on part of its range and weather. The seeds are between 0.2-0.3 cm in diameter and a shiny black. An elaiosome is present on the seeds and allow for ant dispersal.[2]

It is also a polyploid, having 2n between 12 and 191 chromosomes. The largest number of chromosomes was observed in New York City. [3]

Habitat and range

Spring beauty is found in the Eastern temperate deciduous forest of North America[4] It is noted for its abundance throughout many parts of its range, especially in forests. The plant can be found throughout many different habitat types including lawns, city parks, forests, roadsides, wetlands, bluffs, and ravines. [5]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Claytonia virginica.
Wikiversity has bloom time data for Claytonia virginica on the Bloom Clock

References

  1. ^ USDA Plants, http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CLVI3
  2. ^ Claytonia virginica, Flora of North America, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220002996
  3. ^ Cytogeography of Claytonia virginica and its allies, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2395001?seq=1
  4. ^ USDA Plants, http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CLVI3
  5. ^ Claytonia virginica, Flora of North America, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220002996
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