Streptopus lanceolatus var. roseus

Rose Twisted Stalk

Flora, fauna, earth, and sky...
The natural history of the northwoods

Name:

• Streptopus, from the Greek, streptos, "easily bent or twisted"
• roseus, from the Latin, "rose coloured"
• Twisted Stalk, from the zig-zag stem
• Other common names include Rose Mandarin

Taxonomy:

• Kingdom Plantae, the Plants
  • Division Magnoliophyta, the Angiosperms (flowering plants)
    • Class Liliopsida, the Monocotyledons
    • Subclass Liliidae, the Lilies
      • Order Liliales, the Lilies
        • Family Liliaceae, the Lilies
          • Genus Streptopus, Twistedstalk
• Taxonomic Serial Number: 531401
• Also known as Streptopus roseus

Description:

• Flowers rose purple to pink hang from leaf axils

Identification:

• Distinguished from Solomon's Seals and False Solomon's Seals by the alternate leaves on zig zag stem.

Distribution:

• Northern North America, south in mountains

Habitat:

Fire:

Associates:

• Shrubs: Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), Twinflower (Linnaea borealis)
• Herbs: Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), Large Leaf Aster (Aster macrophyllus), Blue Bead Lily (Clintonia borealis), Gold Thread (Coptis trifolia), Bedstraws (Galium ssp.), Oak Fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), Bishop's Cap (Mitella nuda), One Flowered Pyrola (Moneses uniflora), Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum), One Sided Pyrola (Pyrola secunda), Starflower (Trientalis borealis), Kidney Leaf Violet (Viola renifolia), Violets (Viola spp.)

History:

Uses:

Reproduction:

• Reproduces by seed and vegetatively by rhizomes

Propagation:

• By seed, following cold stratification.
• Division most successful method

Cultivation:

• Hardy to USDA Zone 3 (average minimum annual temperature -40ºF)
• Occasionally available by mail order from specialty suppliers.

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