70 
PLANTS OP YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 
1. Stamens 5. 2. 
1. Stamens 10. 4. 
2. Flowers large, white. Parnassia ( Parnassia) _, _ _ _. 70) 
2. Flowers small, greenish. 3. 
3. Petals entire or lacking. Alumroot (Heuchera) ________ (p. 71) 
3. Petals pinnate. Mitella pentandra ____ (p. 71) 
4. Petals 3-to 5-cleft. Fringecup ( Tellima) _____(p. 71) 
4. Petals entire or lacking. Saxifrage ( Saxifraga )_(p. 71) 
Parnassia fimbriata .-—All species of Parnassia have clusters of 
sterile filaments alternating with the 5 stamens of the flower, also 
the leaves are mostly basal with not more than 1 on the stem. They 
are often called grass of Parnassus. In this species there are 5 to 9 
Figure 51. —Parnassia. White. Photograph by Dr. Frank R. Oastler 
sterile filaments in each cluster; there is a single clasping leaf at 
or a little above the middle of the stem, and the petals are fringed 
toward the base. 
Parnassia palustris has 9 to 15 sterile filaments in each cluster, a 
single clasping leaf below the middle of the stem, and the petals 
are entire. 
Parnassia kotzebuei has only 3 to 5 sterile filaments in each cluster, 
usually no leaves at all on the stem, and the petals are entire. 
