Purple Featherling

See under 3. Tofieldia pusilla regarding hybridization with that species.

Stems 2–20 cm. Leaf blades to 7.5 cm × 3.5 mm. Inflorescences open to dense, sometimes spikelike, 5–30-flowered, 0.5–2.5 cm; proximal bracts conspicuous, ovate, margins entire, distal bracts reduced or absent; bracteoles forming epicalyx, deeply 3-lbed, lobes often appearing distinct, ovate, sometimes weakly 3-fid with 2 small lateral lobes. Flowers: tepals greenish, tinged pinkish cream to deep crimson, 2–2.5 mm, inner tepals slightly longer than outer; stamens ± equaling or slightly longer than tepals; filaments not strongly flattened or dilated basally; ovary ellipsoid; styles 0.3–0.8 mm; pedicel 0–3 mm, often becoming arcuate in fruit. Capsules broadly obovoid to globose, 2–2.3 mm. Seeds ca. 1 mm. 2n = 30.

Leaves 2.5--7(--8) cm × 2--3(--4) mm, rather rigid, margin scabrous, apex acuminate, veins inconspicuous. Scape 5--16 cm, with 1 or 2 short, linear leaves in proximal part. Racemes 7--30 mm, densely many flowered. Flowers horizontally spreading or more often nodding; pedicel 0.5--0.8 mm at anthesis, elongate to 1.5--2(--3.5) mm in fruit; bracteole 1, cupular, apically 3-lobed, rarely to 3-fid. Perianth segments white or slightly tinged with pink or rarely purple, oblanceolate-oblong, 2--3 × ca. 0.5 mm. Stamens protruding from or rarely equaling perianth. Ovary ovoid, scarcely 3-lobed apically. Styles rather thick, ca. 0.4 mm, nearly as long as anthers. Capsule nodding, globose, 2--2.5(--3) mm in diam., apically scarcely or slightly 3-lobed, with persistent styles 0.5--0.8 mm and stigmas conspicuously thickened. Seeds nearly linear-fusiform, rarely ellipsoid, (0.8--)1 mm, without a white, longitudinal band. Fl. Jul--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep. 2 n = (20), 30, (32).

Greenland; B.C., N.W.T., Nunavut, Que., Yukon; Alaska; n Asia.

Anhui, S Jilin [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia; North America].

Flowering summer.

Moist to dry open areas, generally calcareous; 0--1500m.

Meadows, wetlands, crevices of rocks or cliffs; 1800--2400 m.

Tofieldia fauriei H. Léveillé & Vaniot; T. nutans Willdenow; T. taquetii H. Léveillé & Vaniot.