Astragalus gilviflorus

Chamerion angustifolium

Fireweed

Lower Third of Plant

Duck Mountain Provincial Park
20-July-2007

This species forms colonies via sprouting from spreading lateral roots.

Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta refer to this species as Epilopium angustifolium, and that is the name for this species used in the notes below.

Flora of Alberta separates this species into two subspecies according to the following:

	ssp. angustifolium: leaves 2.5-15.0 (17.0) cm long, (3) 10-30 mm wide, the midrib of the lower leaf surface glabrous
	ssp. circumvagum: leaves 5-18 (22) cm long, (5) 20-50 mm wide, the midrib of the lower leaf-surface glabrous or densely strigillose

However, the ranges of the leaf lengths and widths overlap so much that I find the distinction non-useful. The maximum leaf lengths and widths of the specimen photographed on velvet on this site are 10.7 cm and 28 mm respectively.

Angustifolium: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.

leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite or verticillate, at least below]

leaves with a vein running parallel to leaf margin

inflorescence elongate and narrow; NOT [inflorescence short]

inflorescence NOT leafy; NOT [inflorescence very leafy]

flowers many; NOT [flowers few, 1-7 (15)]

bracts small; NOT [bracts leaf-like]

flowers large, more than 12 mm across; NOT [flowers small, less than 12 mm across]

flowers zygomorphic; NOT [flowers actinomorphic]

hypanthium absent

style deflexed, at least before anthers dehisce

style longer than stamens at maturity; NOT [style shorter than stamens]

seeds 1.0-1.3 mm long; NOT [seeds 1.3-2.4 mm long]

Epilobium: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.

flower parts in 4’s; NOT [flower parts in 2’s]

fruit a capsule, opening by valves; NOT [fruit nut-like, indehiscent]

fruit NOT covered with hooked bristles

fruit many seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]

seeds with a tuft of hairs (coma) at one end

Onagraceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

plants terrestrial; NOT [plants aquatic; leaves submerged or floating], NOT [mud plants with small axillary flowers]

plants NOT with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

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

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

parts of flowers in twos or fours; NOT [parts of flowers mostly in fives]

calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

stamens 10 or fewer

styles single; NOT [styles 2 or more]

ovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]