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- Arnica lanceolata
Arnica lanceolata — lance-leaved arnica
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Lance-leaved arnica is a globally rare species, with a few populations each in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. It is found in alpine ravines, and sometimes on middle-elevation stream banks.
Habitat
Alpine or subalpine zones, shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 40–200 mm
- Flower head width
- 40–60 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 11-20
- 21-50
- 6-10
- more than 50
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract cycle number
-
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- there is one main cycle of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces, with hairs having glands (a swelling at the tip of the hair)
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract shape
- the main bracts are lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract texture
- the bracts have a similar texture to a leaf
- Bract tip shape
- the tips of the bracts are acuminate (tapered to a narrow point)
- Bracts
- there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 11-20
- 21-50
- 6-10
- more than 50
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Disk width
- 15–20 mm
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
-
- the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
- the flower head is shaped like a cone with the point up
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- Flower head width
- 40–60 mm
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 10–13 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
-
- NA
- the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
- Inflorescence stem
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 8–19
- Ovary cross-section
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- Ovary hair type
-
- the ovary has hairs on it, and the hairs have glands on them
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary hairs
-
- the ovary has hairs on it
- the ovary has no hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
-
- there are four to six lines or ribs visible on the ovary
- there are seven to nine ribs visible on the ovary
- there are ten or more ribs visible on the ovary
- Peduncle hair type
- the hairs on the peduncles have glands at their tips
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 1-5
- 11-15
- 16-25
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 15–20 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
- the style branch is wider at the tip and has a flattened end, or the style branches are wider at the tips and have flattened ends
- Width of flower head base
- 6–20 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 4–8 mm
- Seed hair tuft color
- the pappus hairs are tan to dark brown
- Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs have smaller hairs along their sides
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
-
Glands or sap
- Ovary glands
- there are glands on the ovary surface
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- the base of the leaf blade is rounded
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
-
- the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 40–200 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 10–80 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- alpine or subalpine zones
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem internode hair direction
-
- NA
- the hairs point mostly upwards to outwards
- Stem internode hair type
- at least some of the hairs on the stem have glands
- Stem internode hairs
-
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- rare (S-rank: S2), threatened (code: T)
ssp. lanceolata
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- extirpated (S-rank: SX)
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Arnica mollis Hook. var. petiolaris Fern.
Family
Genus
Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England
Our subspecies is Arnica lanceolata Nutt. ssp. lanceolata.
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
1. Arnica lanceolata Nutt. ssp. lanceolata NC
lance-leaved arnica. Arnica mollis Hook. var. petiolaris Fern. • ME, NH, VT; northern portion of states. Alpine ravines, gullies, and brooks, sometimes found on middle elevation stream banks whose waters drain high alpine areas, also known from northern, ice-scoured river shores.