Cornus canadensis
 
Bunchberry

Leaf Bottom, Lower False Whorl

Duck Mountain Provincial Park
25-June-2007

This leaf is from the lower of two false whorls.  Note the lateral veins which arise below the middle and become nearly parallel to each other as they arch toward the leaf apex.

bullet

Canadensis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bullet

low herbs; NOT [shrubs or small trees]

bullet

leaves mostly whorled at summit of stem; NOT [leaves opposite]

bullet

flowers in a dense head surrounded by an involucre of 4 large, petal-like, whitish bracts; NOT [flowers in cymes, not surrounded by an involucre]

bullet

fruit red; NOT [fruit whitish]

 

bullet

Cornaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. Not all the answers apply to all members of this family, but they all do apply to this species.
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

bullet

plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

bullet

plants NOT with colored milky juice

bullet

plants with more than one normal leaf

bullet

leaves opposite, whorled, or basal; NOT [some or all leaves alternate]

bullet

plants with an involucre of 4 petal-like bracts; NOT [plants without large petal-like bracts]

bullet

flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

bullet

fruit a red drupe