Ledum decumbens : Dwarf Labrador-tea

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

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

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ericaceae (Heath Family)

Genera: Ledum (Labrador-tea) (Gk. From 'ledon' the Greek name for a genus of plants with simmilar leaves and aroma)

Species: decumbens (decumbent = low to the ground)

Synonym(s): Rhododendron decumbens

English Name(s):

Dwarf Labrador-tea, Northern Labrador-tea

First Nation Names:

lidii maskig (Gwichya) masgit (Teetlit)=muskeg tea

Structure:

• Branchlets reddish, villous-tomentos (fuzzy).
• Low, much branched, strongly aromatic shrub.
• Prostrate, decumbent, or ascending dwarf shrub to 50cm tall.

Leaves:

• Simple (not compound or lobed).
• Glabrous (hairless) above, densely rusty-hairy below.
• Evergreen, alternately arranged.
• Margins entire (smooth) and revolute (rolled under).
• 3-20mm long, linear in shape.

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual) and regular (symetrical).
• Pedicels (flower stalks) rusty-pubescent (hairy).
• Calyx (sepals) small, 5-toothed; Petals white, 5, distinct (not united).
• Flowers in terminal umbel-like clusters.
• Ovary 5 loculed (chambered).
• Stamens (male parts) 8-10.
• Calyx (sepals) about 1mm long glandular (with glands), and ciliate with reddish hairs.
• Corolla (petals) 10-12 mm wide, white.
• Pedicel (flower stalk) with curled rusty hairs intermixed with sessile (not stalked) glands.

Seed:

• Fruit are dry capsules
• Capsules 3-5mm long and glandular (with glands).
• Pedicels (flower stalks) bend sharply when in seed.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Ledum groenlandicum (Labrador-tea) is very simmilar but its leaves are much larger, the plant is of higher stature and generally has different habitat.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Flower from lateJune to mid-July.
• Leaves are evergreen.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Moss-lichen heath, or dwarf shrub tundra, often forming dense stands.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

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Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: