Circaea alpina, commonly called alpine enchanter's nightshade, small enchanter's nightshade, or dwarf enchanter's nightshade is a tall perennial herb found in cool forests of the Northern Hemisphere.
Description The leaves are opposite, ovate, and coarsely dentate. The petioles have a wing beneath. The flowers and fruits are clustered near the top of the fruiting raceme; each raceme bears 15 or less white or pink flowers in mid-May through early September. Each flower has two white to light pink petals long with two lobes. The two white sepals are long. The fruit is a small bur with one seed. C. alpina can reproduce vegetatively and via stolons.
Taxonomy Circaea alpina was given its scientific name by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It is classified in the genus Circaea within the Onagraceae family. According to Plants of the World Online it has six accepted subspecies:
Circaea alpina subsp. alpina – Widespread in the northern hemisphere Circaea alpina subsp. angustifolia – Native to China and Tibet Circaea alpina subsp. caulescens – Native to Asia Circaea alpina subsp. imaicola – Native to southern Asia Circaea alpina subsp. micrantha – Northern Pakistan to Central China and northern Myanmar Circaea alpina subsp. pacifica – Western North America
Circaea alpina has synonyms of the species or one of its subspecies, 16 of which are species.
Table of Synonyms Name Year Rank Synonym of: Notes Carlostephania minor 1899 species subsp. alpina = het. Circaea alpestris 1866 species subsp. alpina = het. Circaea alpina var. aleutica 1914 variety subsp. pacifica = het. Circaea alpina var. caulescens 1905 variety subsp. caulescens ≡ hom. Circaea alpina f. composita 1827 form subsp. alpina = het. Circaea alpina var. fertilis 1843 variety subsp. alpina = het. Circaea alpina var. imaicola 1870 variety subsp. imaicola ≡ hom. Circaea alpina f. imaicola 1870 form subsp. imaicola ≡ hom. Circaea alpina var. minor 1806 variety subsp. alpina = het. Circaea alpina var. pacifica 1910 variety subsp. pacifica ≡ hom. Circaea alpina f. pacifica 1936 form subsp. pacifica ≡ hom. Circaea alpina var. pilosula 1944 variety subsp. caulescens = het. Circaea alpina f. pilosula 1979 form subsp. caulescens = het. Circaea alpina f. ramosa 1827 form subsp. alpina = het. Circaea alpina f. simplicissima 1827 form subsp. alpina = het. Circaea caucasica 1970 species subsp. caulescens = het. Circaea caulescens 1934 species subsp. caulescens ≡ hom. Circaea caulescens var. glabra 1934 variety subsp. alpina = het. Circaea caulescens var. pilosula 1934 variety subsp. caulescens = het. Circaea caulescens f. ramosissima 1934 form subsp. alpina = het. Circaea caulescens var. robusta 1934 variety subsp. caulescens = het. Circaea caulescens var. rosulata 1934 variety subsp. alpina = het. Circaea caulescens f. rosulata 1934 form subsp. alpina = het. Circaea cordifolia 1812 species subsp. alpina = het., pro syn. Circaea decumbens 1782 species subsp. alpina = het., opus utique oppr. Circaea × dubia var. makinoi 1959 variety subsp. caulescens = het. Circaea hohuanensis 1997 species subsp. imaicola = het. Circaea imaicola 1933 species subsp. imaicola ≡ hom. Circaea imaicola var. angustifolia 1933 variety subsp. angustifolia ≡ hom. Circaea imaicola var. mairei 1933 variety subsp. angustifolia = het. Circaea lutetiana subsp. alpina 1898 subspecies C. alpina ≡ hom. Circaea lutetiana var. alpestris 1866 variety subsp. alpina = het. Circaea lutetiana var. alpina 1841 variety C. alpina ≡ hom. Circaea lutetiana proles alpina 1912 proles C. alpina ≡ hom. Circaea lutetiana var. mairei 1912 variety subsp. angustifolia = het. Circaea micrantha 1977 species subsp. micrantha ≡ hom. Circaea minima 1771 species subsp. alpina = het. Circaea minutula 1933 species subsp. imaicola = het. Circaea pacifica 1871 species subsp. pacifica ≡ hom. Circaea pacifica f. dentata 1912 form subsp. alpina = het. Circaea pricei 1915 species subsp. imaicola = het. Circaea pricei var. mairei 1936 variety subsp. angustifolia = het. Circaea racemosa var. alpina 1799 variety C. alpina ≡ hom., nom. superfl. Circaea taiwaniana 1978 species subsp. imaicola = het. Ocimastrum minimum 1860 species C. alpina ≡ hom., nom. superfl. Regmus alpinus 1867 species C. alpina ≡ hom. Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym; = heterotypic synonym
Distribution Circaea alpina is generally found in forests or near streams from sea level to .
In North America, is distributed throughout all of Canada. On the east coast of the US it can be found from Maine to North Carolina, and on the west coast, from Alaska to California. It is also established in most non-coastal states, excluding parts of the midwest and southeast regions.
In Eurasia, the range of C. alpina spans from Northern Europe, south to Albania and Bulgaria, and east to Korea and Japan. C. alpina prefers a moist, upland habitat.
Hybrids Circaea alpina will hybridize with Circaea lutetiana producing sterile offspring that persists in vegetative colonies.
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