Kalmia polifolia : Bog-laurel

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Genera: Kalmia (Bog-laurel) (Named for Swedish Botanist and student of Linnaeus and who collected in Canada, Pehr Kalm 1715-1779 )

Species: polifolia (Gk. polius=gray + folium=leaf)

English Name(s):

Bog-laurel, Swamp/Northern/Pale/Purple Laurel, Bog Kalmia

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Low dwarf much branched shrub. Up to 30 cm in hieght.

Leaves:

• Simple (not compound or lobed).
• Lanceolate, oblong to obovate in shape.
• Evergreen, leathery, opposite, 8-35 mm long by3-11 mm wide.
• Lower surface whitened by dense, very short hairs.
• Margins entire (smooth) revolute (rolled down).

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular (symetrical).
• Inflorescence (flower cluster) umbel-like.
• Peduncles (flower stalks) long, 1-3.5 cm in length.
• Corolla (petals) united, saucer-shaped, 5-lobed, about 1.5 cm in diameter, deep pink to crimson in colour.
• Ovary 5 loculed (chambered).
• Sepals 5, almost separate, 2-3mm long, glabrous (hairless), papery lobes finely ciliate margined.
• Stamens (male parts) usually 10.

Seed:

• Capsule splitting open along partitions between the cavities.
• The seeds are tiny and one capsule may contain 500-700 seeds.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

• The anthers are anchored in neet sockets in the petals while still unripe to prevent self-fertilization of the receptive stigma. They are released by visiting insects.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.
• Kalmia grow very slowly and are said to live for a 100 years or more!

Seasonal Cycle:

• Flowers in June.
• Leaves evergreen

Animal Uses:

• Insects needed for pollination.

Habitat:

• Peaty soils, muskeg, bogs, and lake margins.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: