Phacelia mollis : Scorpion-weed

Taxonomy  |   Description  |   Biology  |   Ecology  |   Uses  |   Images  |   Range Maps

Taxonomy

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf Family)

Genera: Phacelia (Scorpion-weed) (Gk. phakelos=a bundle; referring to the congested flower cluster)

Species: mollis (Latin for soft)

English Name(s):

Scorpion-weed, Hairy Scorpion-weed, Macbride's Phacelia

First Nation Names:


Hydophylaceae (Waterleaf Family): Family Triats

Description:

Small herbaceous plants usually hairy.

Flowers perfect (bisexual), regular symetry, and showy.

Sepals 5 united; Petals 5 united.

Stamens (male parts long.

Ovary is positioned superior (above receptical) consisting of 2 or rarly 4 united pistils (syncarpous)

Natural History:

Family Size:

World:

Genera: 20

Species: 270

North America:

Genera: 16

Species: ?

Yukon:

Genera: 1

Species: 2

Central Yukon:(CYSIP study area)

Genera: 1

Species: 1


Description

Structure:

  • Herbaceous plants from a taproot.
  • Stems 15-50 cm high, usually branched, pubescent (hairy) with long twisted, and short straight, glandular hairs.

Leaves:

  • Pinnately lobed to dissected.
  • Mostly basal, 2.5 to 10 cm long.
  • On the stem alternate and reduced in size upwards.
  • Pubescent with short white hairs.

Reproductive Parts:

  • Cymes (flower clusters) few to numerous, coiled, compact or interupted.
  • Flowers in a spike-like or raceme-like cyme.
  • Petals united, lobes about half as long as the tube, yellowish-white or tinged blue, 8-10 mm long, 10-14 mm wide. hairy.
  • Sepals united but deeply 5-lobed.
  • Stamens (male parts) about twice as long at the petals.

Seed:

  • Capsules 5-7 mm long.
  • Fruit is a many seeded capsule.

Not to Be Confused With:


    Biology

    Physiology:

      Life Cycle:

      Seasonal Cycle:

      • Finishes its blooming around mid-July.

      Ecology

      Animal Uses:

      • Much visited by bees even though flowers are not perfumed.

      Habitat:

      • Dry slopes, turfy tundra, and roadsides.
      • Sandy or gravelly soils or rock outcrops.

      Uses

      Modern:

      Industrial:

      Medicinal:

        Food:

          Traditional Gwich'in:

          Folklore:

            Industrial:

              Medicinal:

                Food:

                  Traditional Other:

                  Folklore:

                    Industrial:

                      Medicinal:

                        Food:

                          Images

                          Plants in bloom.

                          Plants in bloom top-view.

                          Flower cyme top-view.

                          Flower cyme side-view.

                          Leaves and a few flowered cyme.

                          Plant in typical habitat.

                          Illustration from: Illustrated Flora of BC


                          Range Maps

                          World Range: World Range is West-Central Yukon, west to East-Central Alaska, south to Northern BC.

                          Prov/State Abrev. List

                          In Yukon: Found in Southern Ogilvies, and a couple other localities south to Kluane area.

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