The

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

''Parnassia'', also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are

flowering plants Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

now placed in the family

Celastraceae The Celastraceae (staff-vine or bittersweet) are a family of 98 genera and 1,350 species of herbs, vines, shrubs and small trees, belonging to the order Celastrales. The great majority of the genera are tropical, with only ''Celastrus'' (the staf ...

, formerly classified in

Parnassiaceae Parnassiaceae Gray were a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Celastrales.Vernon H. Heywood, Richard K. Brummitt, Ole Seberg, and Alastair Culham. ''Flowering Plant Families of the World''. Firefly Books: Ontario, Canada. (2007). ...

Saxifragaceae Saxifragaceae is a family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous Perennial plant, perennial flowering plants, within the core eudicot Order (biology), order Saxifragales. The Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of the family has been greatly revised and the ...

. The plants occur in

arctic The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...

and alpine habitats, as well as in

dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...

systems and

fen A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetland along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as mires ...

s, swamps,

wet meadow A wet meadow is a type of wetland with soils that are Solubility, saturated for part or all of the growing season which prevents the growth of trees and brush. Debate exists whether a wet meadow is a type of marsh or a completely separate type of ...

s, open seepage areas, moist woods, and across the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...

. It is actually not a

grass Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family (biology), family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and spe ...

, but an herbaceous

dicot The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, ...

. The stalk of the plant can reach up to , the leaves up to and the petals can be up to wide. The flower has five white petals with light green venation. There are five three-pronged sterile stamens, each tipped with drop-like false nectaries, which (along with the visual cue of veins) attract pollinating flies and bees. Some species are often found in wet calcareous habitats with low fertility, low canopy cover, and high plant diversity. '' Parnassia glauca'' is considered to be an indicator species of

s in New York State. Such habitats are often becoming rare, and so species of ''Parnassia'' may have high conservation value. For example ''

Parnassia palustris ''Parnassia palustris'', the marsh grass of Parnassus, northern grass-of-Parnassus, or just grass-of-Parnassus, and bog star, is a flowering plant in the staff-vine family Celastraceae. It is the county flower of Cumberland in England, and appea ...

'' is threatened and legally protected in Michigan while '' Parnassia caroliniana'' is considered imperiled in North Carolina. Parnassus flowers are the symbol of the

Clan MacLea The Clan Livingstone, also known as Clan MacLea, is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan, which was traditionally located in the district of Dál Riata, Lorn in Argyll, Scotland, and is seated on the Isle of Lismore. There is a tradition ...

, also known as the highland Livingstone clan, and said to be the favorite flower of St. Moluag, the Irish missionary whose staff the clan chiefs hold. Three Grass of Parnassus flowers appear on the

Flag of Cumberland __TOC__ The Cumberland flag is used to represent the historic county of Cumberland, England. It is a banner of arms of the coat of arms of the defunct Cumberland County Council. The arms were originally granted by the College of Arms on 19 Septe ...

, a British county, since that flower grows on Cumberland's lofty fells. Species include: * '' Parnassia asarifolia'' * '' Parnassia cabulica'' * '' Parnassia caroliniana'' * '' Parnassia californica'' * '' Parnassia cirrata'' * '' Parnassia fimbriata'' * ''

Parnassia foliosa The genus ''Parnassia'', also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are flowering plants now placed in the family Celastraceae, formerly classified in Parnassiaceae or Saxifragaceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well ...

'' * '' Parnassia glauca'' * '' Parnassia grandifolia'' * ''

Parnassia kotzebuei The genus ''Parnassia'', also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are flowering plants now placed in the family Celastraceae, formerly classified in Parnassiaceae or Saxifragaceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well ...

'' * ''

Parnassia parviflora The genus ''Parnassia'', also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are flowering plants now placed in the family Celastraceae, formerly classified in Parnassiaceae or Saxifragaceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well ...

References

External links

''Parnassia'' entry at USDA PLANTS database
Celastrales genera {{Celastraceae-stub