Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_0548.JPG-05-28-2017
Flower name (scientific): Lysimachia borealis (Rafinesque) U. Manns & A. Anderberg PY: 2009. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ly-sih-MAK-ee-ah (or lis-ih-MAK-ee-ah) bore-ee-AL-is
Flower name (common): Starflower
Family name (common): Primrose
Family name (scientific): Primulaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Two explanations are offered for this name. Named by Dioscorides after King Lysimachus (Lysimachos, 360 BCE – 281 BCE) of Thrace. Or from the Ancient Greek λύσιζ, lúsis, a loosening.
    Specific epithet: Latin for northern.
Common name origin: From the star-like (seven or eight-pointed) shape of the flowers.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.3 to 0.5 inches (0.8 to 1.3 cm)
     Petal count: 8
     Color: White.
     Other: flower arrangement, Solitary
Plant description: Erect
     Size: 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is whorl, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 10 to 12 cm long and 4.5 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, lanceolate
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): May to June
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Forests, woods, shade or part shade, moist to wet, rich soil.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes.
Ethnobotany: The Ojibwe used the smoke from the root with other ingredients when hunting as an attractant for deer (Smith, p. 431, 1932). In this reference, Smith uses the old synonym name Trientalis americana for this plant.
Latitude:
Longitude:
Altitude:
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (CA, CT, DC, DE, GA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV)
In Canada: (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT)
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: Trientalis borealis Raf., Med. Repos. ser 2, 5: 354 (1808).
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: na