Linnaea borealis : Twinflower

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

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

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)

Genera: Linnaea (Twinflower) (Named for Carolus Linnaeus, 1707-1778, eminent Swedish botanist, & father of scientific nomenclature)

Species: borealis (Gk. Boreas=god of the north wind, northern)

English Name(s):

Twinflower, Ground Vine, Twin Sisters, Deer Vine

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Dwarf shrub.
• Stems trailing, freely branching, rooting at nodes, 10-120 cm long.

Leaves:

• Opposite
• Ovate to orbicular (oval to roundish) in shape.
• Evergreen
• Margins crenate (round toothed).
• Short peduncled (stalked)

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (Bisexual).
• Calyx (sepals) 5-lobed, 2-5 mm long.
• Corolla (petals) funnel-shaped, creamy white to pink or faintly rose purple, 6-12 mm long.
• Flowers are sweet scented.
• Flowers in pairs.
• Flowers on short peduncles (stalks) at top of an erect scape (leafless stem).

Seed:

• Fruit is a dry 1-seeded capsule, 1.5-3.0 mm long, hairy.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

• The flowers incredibly sweet scent is most strong near evening.
• The hairs on the capsules are burs (hooked bristles) that catch on the fur of animals and are thus spread.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Blooms late June and into early July. Should be finished blooming by mid-July.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Mossy or turfy openings in thickets or open woods.
• To treeline or slightly beyond.
• Woods, thickets, meadows, dry slopes, terraces, and stream banks.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

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