Spiraea beauverdiana : Spiraea

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

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

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Genera: Spiraea (Spiraea) (Gk. spiera= a coil, spiral; referring to the historical use of some of the plants in garlands)

Species: beauverdiana (Named for a swiss botanist Gustave Beauverd, 1867-1942.)

English Name(s):

Spiraea, Beauverd / Alaska Spiraea

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Bark dark brown and shreddy on older branches.
• Erect-ascending shrub, with slender and much branched stems. 20-100cm tall.

Leaves:

• Oval is shape. Margins crenate (round toothed). Green above, paler below.
• Simple (one blade), alternate. 1-5 cm long by 1-3 cm wide.

Reproductive Parts:

• Stamens (male parts) 25 or more; Pistils (female parts) 3-7, separate.
• Inflorescence (flower clusters) 2-3 cm broad.
• Flowers perfect (bisexual)
• Flowers in compound panicles from the leaf axils or at the stem tips.
• Sepals 5, triangular; Petals 5, white or pinkish, 1.5-2.5 mm long.

Seed:

• Fruit a dry few seeded follicle (pod-like capsule), 2-5mm long.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Finnished blooming usually by mid-late July.
• Leaves deciduous (falling off).

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Borders of muskegs.
• In alpine and subalpine meadows and slopes.
• Moist sites in tundra heathlands and woods.

Modern:

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Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

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Medicinal:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

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