Montiaceae Claytonia Ogilviensis Mcneill

Claytonia ogilviensis McNeill Montiaceae

Global Distribution: Endemic to Ogilvie Mountains of Yukon.

Alaska Distribution: Intermontane Boreal

Ecoregions Occupied: North Ogilvie Mountains.

Conservation Status: SP G2G3.

Description24, 75, 77

Flowers arranged in umbellate 2 cm clusters, bright purple

Bracts leaf-like

Stem leaves elliptic to ovate, abruptly contracted to petiole

Basal leaves long- petiolated, orbiculate, often absent

Tubers orbicular to elongate, 1 to 2.5 cm in diameter

Illustration by Dominique Collet

Claytonia ogilviensis

General: Perennial herb; tubers orbicular to elongate, 1 to 8 cm long, 1 to 2.5 cm in diameter; mature plants rhizomatous; stems 4 to 8 cm long.

Leaves: Basal leaves often absent, long-petiolated, orbiculate, as long as wide, 0.6 to 1 cm long; stem leaves subtending the inflorescence in a pair, abruptly contracted to petiole, elliptic to ovate, 1 to 2.5 cm long, 5 to 18 mm wide.

Flowers: Flowers arranged in umbellate clusters; bracts multiple, leaf- like; flowers 10 to 16 mm in diameter; sepals 5 to 7 mm long; petals bright purple, 8 to 14 mm long.

Fruits: Seeds 2.4 to 2.5 mm in diameter.

Ecology

Elevation: Known from 1,200 to 1,860 m in Yukon.

Landform: Open mountain slopes, alpine ridges.

Soil Type: Scree; associated with calcareous substrates.

Moisture regime: Dry.

Slope: Moderate to steep.

Aspect: Often, but not limited to, south to southeast.

Claytonia ogilviensis

Vegetation type: Sparsely vegetated.

Associated species: No information available.

Longevity: Perennial, likely long-lived as tubers are large and well- developed on some specimens.

Phenology: Flowering in June.

Population estimate: Nine known occurrences in Yukon; population sizes unknown.

Similar Species24, 75, 77

Claytonia scammaniana, with its purple flowers, and Claytonia sarmentosa, with its rose-colored flowers, could be confused with Claytonia ogilviensis. Claytonia tuberosa has white petals with yellow bases but looks superficially similar to Claytonia ogilviensis when not in flower. The table below describes differences in morphology and habitat between these species.

Stem Species Roots Stolons Bracts Habitat Leaves Tubers Stolons orbicular absent, Orbiculate; Calcareous Claytonia to rhizomes abruptly All bracts scree ogilviensis elongate, 1 present in contracted to leaf-like slopes to 2.5 cm mature petiole in diameter plants Lower Stolons Narrowly bracts Wet to Tuber absent; elliptic to leaf-like, moist Claytonia globose, 1 rhizomes oblanceolate; upper stony to 3 cm in tuberosa present tapering to bracts tundra diameter rarely base, sessile reduced slopes to scales Stolons Narrowly Claytonia absent; Lacking Scree Filiform lanceolate to scammaniana rhizomes bracts slopes ovate; sessile present Stolons Rocky present, Ovate to slopes, Claytonia bud- ovate- Lacking Filiform snow beds sarmentosa bearing; lanceolate; bracts in rhizomes sessile mountains present

Claytonia ogilviensis