Pimpernel Willowherb

Foodplant / parasite
hypophyllous telium of Puccinia epilobii parasitises live leaf of Epilobium anagallidifolium

Foodplant / parasite
intercellular spores of telium of Pucciniastrum epilobii parasitises live Epilobium anagallidifolium
Remarks: season: 8-10

Foodplant / parasite
Sphaerotheca epilobii parasitises live Epilobium anagallidifolium
Remarks: season: 8-10

Herbs perennial, forming low mats, with thin, leafy epigeous soboles. Stems many, ascending or sigmoidally bent, 3-20 cm tall, simple, subglabrous throughout or strigillose on upper stem with scattered glandular hairs, with sparsely strigillose lines decurrent from margins of petioles. Leaves subsessile above, lower ones with petioles 1-6 mm; cauline blade spatulate to oblong basally, elliptic at mid-stem, lanceolate in upper pairs, 0.8-2.5 × 0.25-1 cm, subglabrous except for sparsely strigillose margin and midvein, base attenuate to cuneate, margin subentire to barely denticulate on upper leaves, apex obtuse below to subacute above. Inflorescence nodding in bud, suberect later; flowers suberect. Sepals 1.5-5 mm. Petals pink to rose-purple, rarely white, 2.5-6.5 mm. Stigma broadly clavate or subcapitate, entire. Capsules 1.7-3.6 cm, subglabrous or with scattered short hairs; pedicels 1-3.5(-5) cm. Seeds light brown, 0.7-1.4 mm, reticulate or rarely low papillose, with short chalazal col- lar; coma dull white, persistent. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 36.

Xinjiang [Japan, Russia; widespread across N Asia, Europe, and North America].

Moist rockslides, talus slopes, and gravelly areas near streams or seeps in high montane and alpine regions; 1300-1500[-4000] m.

Epilobium alpinum Linnaeus, nom. utique rej.; E. dielsii H. Léveillé; E. nakaharanum Nakai.

Epilobium anagallidifolium is a species of willowherb known by the common names pimpernel willowherb and alpine willowherb. This small flowering plant has a near-circumboreal distribution and can be found in mountain ranges further south, where grows in alpine climates. It is a perennial found in low clumps rarely exceeding 20 centimeters in height.