Synthyris borealis : Northern Kitten-tails

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

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

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Genera: Synthyris (Kitten-tails) (Gk. syn = united + thyris = a window; referring to the closed valves of the seed pods.)

Species: borealis (Lat. for northern from Gk. boreas = north wind or god of the north wind.)

English Name(s):

Northern Kitten-tails,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plant tufted, herbaceous (not woody).
• From ascending and often freely branched rhizome (rootstock).
• Stems 5-20cm high, villous (long hairs), with multi cellular hairs.

Leaves:

• Basil and cauline (On stem).
• Basil leaves petioled (stalked).
• Blades cordate in shape.
• Margins crenate-dentate (round toothed), to shallowly lobed, ciliate (margin hairs) with multicellular hairs.
• Cauline (stem) leaves, sessile (stalkless) or subsessile, alternate or subopposite.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) an elongating spikelike raceme with small dentate (toothed) bracts (leaflets).
• Flowers perfect (bisexual), irregular in symmetry.
• Calyx (sepals) 4-lobed, lobes separate or nearly so, linear-lanceolate in shape, acute (pointed).
• Corolla (petals) almost hidden by bracts, deep blue, irregular, 2-lipped, upper lip 1-lobed, wider and often longer than lowe lip, lower lip 3-lobed, lobes equalling the tube.
• Stamens (male parts) 2, projecting from the flower, filaments long, anthers equal, joined at the tip, horseshoe-shaped.

Seed:

• Fruit is a capsule.
• Seed capsules heart shaped, stiff-hairy, splitting open lenghtwise between inner partitions.
• Seeds few, pale brown, smooth.

Not to Be Confused With:

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Plant deciduous (dieing back) to rhizome (rootstock).
• Blooms from early to late June.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Herbmats in alpine tundra.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: