Polymnia canadensis, commonly known as whiteflower leafcup, is a flowering perennial plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to eastern North America from Ontario south to Alabama and from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Minnesota east to North Carolina, Vermont and Connecticut.[3] It is considered endangered in the last two states.[4] It is typically found in moist forests over calcareous rocks.[5]

Polymnia canadensis
1913 illustration[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Polymnia
Species:
P. canadensis
Binomial name
Polymnia canadensis
L. 1753
Synonyms[2]
  • Polymnia radiata (A.Gray) Small

Description

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Polymnia canadensis, commonly known as "bears foot" or "small-flowered leafcup", is more easily identified by features other than the small flowers which are present only in the late summer. The plant reaches a height of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) and blooms May to October.[6] Often it grows in stands of several plants clustered together. The leaves vary in shape from deeply lobed leaves at the lower part of the plant to the simple leaves at the upper part of the plant (see photo). The sap is clear, sticky and pleasantly fragrant.[7]

 
Entire plant
 
Leaves
 
Flowers

References

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  1. ^ illustration from Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 458.
  2. ^ The Plant List, Polymnia canadensis L.
  3. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  4. ^ "Plants Profile Polymnia canadensis L. whiteflower leafcup". United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  5. ^ Alan Weakley (2015). "Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States".
  6. ^ Denison, Edgar (2017). Missouri Wildflowers. Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-887247-59-7.
  7. ^ Flora of North America: Polymnia canadensis
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