The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

five-stamen mitrewort, fivestamen miterwort

cross-shape mitrewort, side-flower mitrewort, smallflower miterwort

Habit Plants sometimes stoloniferous. Plants not stoloniferous.
Flowering stems

8–48(–60) cm.

10–55 cm.

Leaves

petiole (0.9–)1.5–8.5(–14) cm, subglabrous or sparsely short stipitate-glandular and, sometimes, sparsely long stipitate-glandular, longer hairs spreading to retrorse, white, tan, or brown;

blade ovate-cordate, ± as long as wide, (1–)2.3–8.5 × (1–)2.1–8 cm, margins shallowly (3-), 5-, 7-, or 9-lobed, doubly crenate-dentate, glabrous, apex of terminal lobe acute to obtuse, surfaces subglabrous or sparsely long stipitate-glandular;

cauline leaves usually absent, sometimes 1, proximal or distal, sessile or petiolate, blade 0.2–3 × 0.2–2.2 cm.

petiole 2–15 cm, short stipitate-glandular and long stipitate-glandular, longer hairs retrorse or, sometimes, spreading, white, tan, or brown;

blade cordate or reniform, shorter than or sometimes ± as long as wide, (1.5–)2.5–10 × 2–8(–12) cm, margins 5- or 7-lobed, singly or doubly crenate, uniformly ciliate, apex of terminal lobe rounded to obtuse, surfaces glabrous or short stipitate-glandular and sparsely long stipitate-glandular;

cauline leaves absent.

Inflorescences

1–3(–4), remotely 6–25-flowered, 1–2 flowers per node, not secund, 8–48(–60) cm, glabrous, subglabrous, or sparsely short stipitate-glandular proximally, short stipitate-glandular distally.

1–3(–6), closely 10–45-flowered, 1 flower per node, strongly secund, 10–55 cm, short stipitate-glandular and sparsely long stipitate-glandular proximally and distally.

Pedicels

1.5–5(–8) mm, short stipitate-glandular.

0.5–1.5 mm, short stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

hypanthium broadly saucer-shaped, (0.6–)0.8–2 × (1.7–)2–2.8 mm;

sepals spreading or recurved, greenish yellow or greenish, triangular to broadly triangular, 0.6–1.1 × 0.7–1.2 mm;

petals greenish, 5–11-lobed, 1.5–3 mm, lobes linear, lateral lobes spreading;

stamens 5, alternate sepals;

filaments white, 0.1–0.2 mm;

anthers 0.2–0.3 × 0.5–0.7 mm;

ovary ± completely inferior;

styles divergent, flattened, 0.1–0.2 mm;

stigmas 2-lobed.

hypanthium turbinate-campanulate, 1.4–2.7 × 1.5–2.5(–3) mm;

sepals erect or with tips spreading, greenish white to white, sometimes purple-tinged, oblong, oblong-obovate, or widely ovate, 1–2.2 × 0.7–1.2 mm;

petals white, sometimes purple-tinged, 3-lobed or, sometimes, unlobed, 1.5–4 mm, lobes linear to lanceolate, lateral lobes ascending or spreading;

stamens 5, opposite sepals;

filaments white, 0.1–0.2 mm;

anthers 0.3–0.5 × 0.2–0.3 mm;

ovary ca. 2/3–3/4 inferior;

styles divergent, flattened, 0.1–0.2 mm;

stigmas unlobed.

Seeds

reddish brown, 0.6–0.9 mm, pitted.

dark reddish brown to blackish, 0.8–1.2 mm, pitted.

2n

= 14.

= 14.

Mitella pentandra

Mitella stauropetala

Phenology Flowering May–Aug. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Moist woods, stream banks, avalanche tracks, wet mountain meadows, shaded banks Open to dense woods, seasonally moist, springy sites
Elevation 1000-3700 m (3300-12100 ft) 700-3000 m (2300-9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Two varieties of Mitella stauropetala have been recognized. Plants from Oregon and Washington have been referred to var. stauropetala, characterized by hypanthium plus sepals often over 3 mm and petal blades with linear lobes. In northern Colorado, southeastern Idaho, eastern Utah, and Wyoming, var. stauropetala is replaced by var. stenopetala, with hypanthium plus sepals rarely over 3 mm and petal blades less deeply trifid (sometimes entire) and with broader lateral lobes. Variety stenopetala is morphologically similar in many respects to M. trifida. Mitella trifida and M. stauropetala require study to determine if plants referred to var. stenopetala are the result of hybridization or integradation between the two species.

D. E. Soltis and P. S. Soltis (1986) found morphologic and allozymic evidence of fertile intergeneric hybrids between Mitella stauropetala and Conimitella williamsii in Wyoming. Data from cpDNA analysis suggest that C. williamsii is derived from within the M. diversifoliaM. stauropetalaM. trifida alliance (D. E. Soltis et al. 1990).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 111. FNA vol. 8, p. 113.
Parent taxa Saxifragaceae > Mitella Saxifragaceae > Mitella
Sibling taxa
M. breweri, M. caulescens, M. diphylla, M. diversifolia, M. nuda, M. ovalis, M. stauropetala, M. trifida
M. breweri, M. caulescens, M. diphylla, M. diversifolia, M. nuda, M. ovalis, M. pentandra, M. trifida
Synonyms Pectiantia pentandra M. stauropetala var. stenopetala, Ozomelis stauropetala
Name authority Hooker: Bot. Mag. 56: plate 2933. 1829 , Piper: Erythea 7: 161. 1899 ,
Web links