Prosartes trachycarpa

Prosartes trachycarpa, the roughfruit fairybells,[2] rough-fruited fairybells or rough-fruited mandarin, is a North American species of plants in the lily family.[3][4] The species is widespread, known from British Columbia to Ontario and south to Arizona and New Mexico.[5][1] One isolated population was reported from Isle Royale in Lake Superior.[4]

Roughfruit fairybells
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Prosartes
Species:
P. trachycarpa
Binomial name
Prosartes trachycarpa
Synonyms[1]
  • Disporum trachycarpum (S.Watson) Benth. & Hook.f.
  • Lethea trachycarpa (S.Watson) Farw.
  • Uvularia lanuginosa var. major Hook.
  • Disporum majus (Hook.) Britton
  • Disporum canadense Shafer

The flowers are delicate and hang down. The berry is larger than a Saskatoon, pincherry or chokecherry, about the size of a grocery store cherry or small grape. The rough-fruited fairybell can be found in the same locale as other native fruits such as Saskatoons and chokecherries.[6][7][8] This perennial is 30 centimeters (12 in) to 60 centimeters (24 in) in height. The leaves alternate and are about 3 centimeters (1.2 in) to 8 centimeters (3.1 in) Berries begin yellow, then orange and when fully ripe are red. The surface of the fruit feels fuzzy and velvety.[4]

The images of the rough-fruited fairy bell here were photographed as one was climbing up the riverbank of the South Saskatchewan River, south of Saskatoon. The first nations ate fairybells, and a previous name was dog feet.[9]

The specimen shown in the photograph, Prosartes trachycarpa (rough-fruited fairybell) was found in western Canada. The species is listed amongst plants found in the Prince Albert National Park and Riding Mountain National Park and are considered a common range plant of northern Saskatchewan.[10][11]

Uses

The berries have historically been eaten by Blackfeet Native Americans.[12]

Saskatchewan rough fruited fairy bells
Fairy bells

References
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. "Prosartes trachycarpa". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  3. Utech, F. H., Z. K. Shinwari, and S. Kawano. 1995. Biosystematic studies in Disporum (Liliaceae-Asparagoideae-Polygonateae). VI. Recognition of the North American section Prosartes as an autonomous genus. Memoirs of the Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Series Biology 16: 1–41.
  4. Flora of North America on-line
  5. Flora of North America v 26 p 144
  6. Vance, F.R.; Jowsey, J.R.; McLean, J.S. (1977), Wildflowers Across the Prairies, Saskatoon, SK: Western Producer Books, p. 141, ISBN 0-919306-74-8
  7. Vance, F R; J.R. Rowsey; J.S Maclean; F.A. Switzer (1999), Wildflowers across the prairies With a new section on Grasses, sedges and rushes, Vancouver, British Columbia: Western Producer Prairie Books, p. 25, ISBN 1-55054-703-8
  8. Wilkinson, Kathleen (1999), Wildflowers of Alberta A Guide to Common Wildflowers and Other Herbaceous Plants, Edmonton Alberta: Lone Pine Publishing and University of Alberta, p. 19, ISBN 0-88864-298-9
  9. Johnson Kershaw, MacKinnon Pojar (1995), Plants of the Western Boreal Forest and Aspen Parkland, Edmonton Alberta: Lone Pine Publishing and the Canadian Forest Service., p. 83, ISBN 1-55105-058-7
  10. Innvista, Prince Albert National Park, archived from the original on 2008-07-06, retrieved 2008-08-03
  11. common range plants of northern Saskatchewan (PDF), retrieved 2008-08-03
  12. Reiner, Ralph E. (1969). Introducing the Flowering Beauty of Glacier National Park and the Majestic High Rockies. Glacier Park, Inc. p. 118.


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