(Canadian burnet)
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Photo of Sanguisorba stipulata by Jacob Frank
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Canadian burnet is a medium-sized herb with pinnately
compound leaves and narrow
spikes of white flowers that is common in subalpine to alpine meadows and shrub thickets, particularly in lush sites. Plants reach 20-80 cm tall from a thick caudex. The basal leaves are long
petioled, the whole leaf 10-50 cm long, with 9-15
pinnate leaflets. The leaflets are
oblong-
ovate, with rounded tips and notched bases. The margins are
toothed. Stem leaves are much reduced, with few leaflets and no
petioles. The
inflorescence is a terminal
spike, held far above the basal leaves. These narrow
spikes are elongate cylinders 3-10 cm long, which flower from the base up. The flowers have four greenish-white round
sepals, no petals, 1
carpel, and many long
stamens. The
stamens are what give the flowering head its bottle-brush appearance—the white
filaments are flattened, broader than the tan
anthers, and quite noticeable. Fruits are
achenes. This is the only species in the flora with pinnately
compound,
toothed leaves and a bottle-brush
spike of white flowers.
Sitka burnet is a perennial,
deciduous species. It typically flowers in mid-summer. The leaves turn purple red in the fall before being shed.
Naruhashi et al. (2001), comparing Japanese species of this genus, claim that
Sanguisorba species with long
anthers and small floral discs (such as
S. stipulata) are likely wind-pollinated.
Sanguisorba stipulata is an amphi-Beringian species, occurring in coastal eastern Russia southward to Japan. In North America, this species occurs from Alaska to Yukon and B.C., southeastward to Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Sanguisorba stipulata has recently been synonymized with S. canadensis, a closely related species of the North American east coast. In Alaska, S. stipulata (sens. strict.) occurs in the southern half of the state, from the Aleutians through Southeast Alaska, reaching as far north as the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta in Southwest and the northern side of the Alaska Range in Denali. In Denali, this species is abundant on the south side (particularly in subalpine meadows), and occurs less frequently north of the Alaska Range.
Details are shown in the Plots & Charts found at right, depicting recent Denali data.
Sitka burnet's grows on a wide range of elevational gradients (122 m- 1437 m) but is more common in mid elevations (850 m). This species is more common on south-facing slopes. It occurs on all levels of incline, and is particularly frequent on slopes between 20-28 degrees.
Details are shown in the Plots & Charts found at right. For more on how to interpret these figures, visit Understanding Data Presented.
This species is found in thickets, alpine slopes and moist meadows.
Wet to moist sites.
