Parnassia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{For|the butterfly genus|Parnassius}}

{{Redirect|Grass of Parnassus|the book of poetry|Andrew Lang}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = DwNorthernGrassofParnassus.jpg

| image_caption = Parnassia palustris

| taxon = Parnassia

| authority = L.

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = About 50{{cite web | url = http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=20220 | work = Flora of Pakistan | title = Parnassiaceae }}–70{{cite web | title = Parnassia | url = http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=124074 | work = Flora of China }}

}}

The genus Parnassia, also known as grass of Parnassus or bog-stars, are flowering plants now placed in the family Celastraceae,{{cite web | url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?8907 | title=Parnassia L. | access-date=8 January 2015| work=Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Area}}{{ITIS|ID=ID=24203|taxon=Parnassia}} formerly classified in Parnassiaceae or Saxifragaceae. The plants occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well as in dune systems and fens, swamps, wet meadows, open seepage areas, moist woods, and across the Northern Hemisphere. It is actually not a grass, but an herbaceous dicot. The stalk of the plant can reach up to {{convert|8|in|mm|sp=us|order=flip}}, the leaves up to {{convert|4|in|mm|sp=us|order=flip|abbr=on|-1}} and the petals can be up to {{convert|1.4|in|mm|order=flip|abbr=on}} 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.{{cite journal|last1=Moore|first1=Dwayne R. J.|last2=Keddy|first2=Paul A.|title=The relationship between species richness and standing crop in wetlands: the importance of scale|journal=Vegetatio|date=1988|volume=79|issue=1–2|pages=99–106|doi=10.1007/BF00044853|jstor=20038396}} Parnassia glauca is considered to be an indicator species of fens in New York State.{{cite journal|last1=Godwin|first1=Kevin S.|last2=Shallenberger|first2=James P.|last3=Leopold|first3=Donald J.|last4=Bedford|first4=Barbara L.|title=Linking landscape properties to local hydrogeologic gradients and plant species occurrence in minerotrophic fens of New York State, USA: A Hydrogeologic Setting (HGS) framework|journal=Wetlands|date=December 2002|volume=22|issue=4|pages=722–737|doi=10.1672/0277-5212(2002)022[0722:LLPTLH]2.0.CO;2}} Such habitats are often becoming rare, and so species of Parnassia may have high conservation value. For example Parnassia palustris is threatened and legally protected in Michigan{{cite web |url=http://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/explorer/species.cfm?id=14896 |title=Parnassia palustris (Marsh grass-of-parnassus) - MNFI Rare Species Explorer |website=Mnfi.anr.msu.edu |date= |author=Michigan Natural Features Inventory |access-date= March 1, 2015}} while Parnassia caroliniana is considered imperiled in North Carolina.{{cite web |url=http://www.ncwildflower.org/index.php/plant_galleries/details/parnassia-caroliniana |title=Plant Details - Parnassia caroliniana |website=NCwildflower.org |date= |author=North Carolina Native Plant Society |access-date= March 1, 2015}}

Parnassus flowers are the symbol of the Clan MacLea, 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.clanmclea.co.uk/Warrant.htm |title=Warrant for Letters Patent |website=Clanmclea.co.uk |date= |first=Clan |last=MacLea |access-date=March 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928091006/http://www.clanmclea.co.uk/Warrant.htm |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead }} Three Grass of Parnassus flowers appear on the Flag of Cumberland, a British county, since that flower grows on Cumberland's lofty fells.{{cite web |url=http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/cumberland.html |title=Civic Heraldry of England and Wales - Cumberland |website=Civicheraldry.co.uk |date= |first=Robert |last=Young |access-date= March 1, 2015}}

Species include:

• Parnassia asarifolia
• Parnassia cabulica
• Parnassia caroliniana
• Parnassia californica
• Parnassia cirrata
• Parnassia fimbriata
• Parnassia foliosa
• Parnassia glauca
• Parnassia grandifolia
• Parnassia kotzebuei
• Parnassia palustris
• Parnassia parviflora

Image:Parnassia parviflora.jpg]]