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- Epilobium lactiflorum
Epilobium lactiflorum — white-flowered willow-herb
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Facts
White-flowered willow-herb has a circumboreal distribution, and is found in western North America and the extreme northeastern region. It just enters New England in northern boreal Maine and New Hampshire, where it inhabits alpine gullies, cliffs, stream banks and snowbank communities.
Habitat
Alpine or subalpine zones, cliffs, balds, or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Flower petal color
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
-
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
- 8
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 35–75 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached near its midpoint to the filament
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Anther tube length
- 0 mm
- Calyx growth after flowering
-
- NA
- the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cilia on petals
- the petal margins do not have cilia
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has an inferior ovary, with or without a hypanthium
- Flower length
- 3–6 mm
- Flower orientation
-
- the flower bends downwards or hangs downwards
- the flower points upwards or is angled outwards
- Flower petal color
- white
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- NA
- Fringed petal edges
-
- NA
- the petals are not fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
-
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has hairs on it
- Hairs on inflorescence
- at least some of the hairs on the axis of the inflorescence have glands
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower has a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 1–2.2 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Length of flower stalk
- 20–45 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 4
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is below the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
-
- the perianth is cupuliform (cup-shaped)
- the perianth is rotate (platter-shaped, the corolla flattened, circular, with nearly horizontally spreading lobes)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal glandular dots or scales
- no
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
- there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Petal length
- 2.5–4 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
- Petal number
- 4
- Petal shape
- the petal outline is another shape
- Petal tip shape
- the petal tip is retuse (with a blunt or rounded apex and a notch at the center)
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- NA
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal auricles
- the sepals have no auricles
- Sepal cilia
- the sepals do not have cilia
- Sepal color
- green to brown
- Sepal features
- NA
- Sepal length
- 2–3.6 mm
- Sepal number
- 4
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are curved outwards and downwards from the corolla
- Sepal relative length
- the sepal lobes are longer than the fused portion
- Sepal shape
-
- the sepal outline is lanceolate (lance-shaped; narrow, gradually tapering from the base to the tip)
- the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Sepal tip shape
- the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)
- Sepal uniformity
- all the sepals are about the same size
- Sepals fused only to sepals
-
- the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spur length
- 0 mm
- Spur number
- NA
- Stamen appendages
- stamen appendages are absent
- Stamen attachment
-
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamens are didynamous (two long stamens and two short ones)
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within a cycle differ in length or width
- Stamen number
- 8
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamen relative length
- anything
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Style relative length
- the stigma does not protrude beyond the mouth of the corolla
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- the capsule has four prominent ribs or wings
- Capsule splitting
- the capsule splits by four main valves, teeth or pores
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 35–75 mm
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- NA
- Fruit locules
- four
- Fruit shape
- the fruit is roughly cylindrical (with parallel sides that do not taper, and flat across the top and bottom)
- Fruit stalk orientation
- the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Hairs on fruit
- the fruits have hairs on them
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Ovary stipe length
- 0 mm
- Placenta arrangement
-
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- the plant has parietal placentation, where ovules develop on the wall or slight outgrowths of the wall forming broken partitions within a compound ovary
- Relative fruit length
- 0
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 1.1–1.6 mm
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Seed surface
- the seed has pits or depressions on it
- Seeds comose
- hairs are present
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Horizontal rooting stem
-
- the plant does not have stolons
- the plant has stolons
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteoles
- the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 19–40 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)
- Leaf blade width
- 6–15 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf hair orientation
- the hairs are flat against the leaf surface, mostly pointing towards the leaf tip
- Leaf sheath length
- 0 mm
- Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk base
- the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 2–8 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the leaf blade margin has forward-pointing teeth
- Leaf tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).
- Leaf variation
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule edges
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
- Stipule length
- 0 mm
- Stipule shape
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Specific habitat
-
- alpine or subalpine zones
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Direction of stem hairs
- the hairs are pressed flat against the plant, pointing towards the plant's tip
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Plant height
- 6–40 cm
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem hair distribution
- the hairs on the stem are arranged in lines running down the stem from the edges of the leaf bases
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is not swollen at the nodes
- Stem orientation
-
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem spacing
- the plant is growing in tufts, or compact clusters with closely spaced stems, or it is densely matted together in clumps, cushionlike
- Stem succulence
- the stems are not succulent
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- historical (S-rank: SH), potentially extirpated (code: PE)
- New Hampshire
- historical (S-rank: SH), endangered (code: E)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
6. Epilobium lactiflorum Hausskn. NC
white-flowered willow-herb. Epilobium alpinum L. var. lactiflorum (Hausskn.) C.L. Hitchc.; E. hornemannii Reichenb. var. lactiflorum (Hausskn.) D. Löve • ME, NH; northern portions of states. Alpine gullies, cliffs, stream banks, and snowbank communities.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Epilobium anagallidifolium:
- leaf blades 10-25 mm long and 3-7 mm wide, usually entire, and outer surface of seeds smooth (vs. E. hornemannii, with leaf blades 19-40 mm long and 6-14 mm wide, weakly serrate, and seeds minutely pitted on the outer surface).
- Epilobium hornemannii:
- petals usually pale purple in life and often fading to white with pink, red, or blue tinging in drying, 4–8 mm long, and outer surface of seed minutely papillose (vs. E. lactiflorum, with petals white, 2.5–4 mm long, and outer surface of seed minutely pitted).
Synonyms
- Epilobium alpinum L. var. lactiflorum (Hausskn.) C.L. Hitchc.
- Epilobium hornemannii Reichenb. var. lactiflorum (Hausskn.) D. Löve