fireweed
(Chamerion angustifolium ssp. angustifolium)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Biology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | not listed |
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| NatureServe | N4N5 - Apparently Secure to Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Wetland Indicator Status |
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| Great Plains | FAC - Facultative |
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| Midwest | FAC - Facultative |
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| Northcentral & Northeast | FAC - Facultative |
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Description |
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Fireweed (ssp. angustifolium) is an erect, perennial, 8″ to 52″ tall forb that rises usually on a single aerial stem from a rhizome-like underground stem and fibrous roots. It often forms large colonies. The stems are erect, usually unbranched, and round or somewhat angular in cross section. They are leafy; hairless or nearly hairless below the inflorescence; and green, sometimes becoming reddish near the top in strong sunlight. The leaves are alternate, numerous, and crowded. They are stalkless or nearly stalkless, narrowly lance-shaped or linear lance-shaped, 2¾″ to 5½″ long, and ¼″ to ½″ wide. The leaf blades are broadly angled or almost rounded at the base and taper to a point at the tip. The upper and lower surfaces are hairless, even on the midvein. There is a prominent midvein and 10 to 25 lateral veins that run into a single submarginal vein. The submarginal vein is distinct but the lateral veins often are not. The margins are untoothed or obscurely untoothed. The inflorescence is a 3″ to 8″ long, unbranched cluster (raceme) of up to 15 or more stalked flowers at the end of the stem. The flowers nod at the end of a long, magenta-colored stalk when in bud. They are spreading to almost erect when in bloom. Each flower is ¾″ to 1½″ in diameter. There are 4 sepals, 4 petals, 8 stamens and 1 style. The sepals are spreading, narrowly lance-shaped, ¼″ to ⅝″ long, and similar in color but darker than the petals. The petals are pink to magenta, rarely white. They are ⅜″ to ⅝″ long and ⅛″ to ⅜″ wide. They are narrowed at the base and broad near the tip. The stamens have long white filaments and dark magenta anthers. The style has a 4-lobed stigma. The fruit is a straight, cylinder-shaped, 1½″ to 3″ long capsule with many seeds. |
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Height |
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8″ to 52″ |
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Flower Color |
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Pink or magenta |
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Similar Species |
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| Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum) is often taller, up to 78″. The stems are minutely hairy, at least near the top. The leaves are larger and are usually hairy on the midvein below. They are on short but distinct stalks. The leaf blades are wedge-shaped at the base and usually blunt at the tip. The lateral veins are distinct. The flower petals are much larger. It is uncommon in Minnesota. | ||
Habitat |
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Moist; roadside ditches, disturbed places, especially after a fire. Full or partial sun. |
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Biology |
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Flowering |
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July to September |
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Use |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 3/14/2014 | ||||
Nativity |
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Native |
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Occurrence |
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Common in Minnesota |
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.png "Distribution Map")
Taxonomy |
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| Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
| Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
| Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
| Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
| Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) | ||
| Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) | ||
| Superorder | Rosanae | ||
| Order | Myrtales (myrtles, evening primroses, and allies) | ||
Family |
Onagraceae (evening primrose) | ||
| Subfamily | Onagroideae | ||
| Tribe | Epilobieae | ||
Genus |
Chamerion (fireweed) | ||
| Species | Chamerion angustifolium (fireweed) | ||
The correct genus for this species has been in contention since 1753, when Carl Linnaeus placed it in the genus Epilobium. It had previously been placed in the genus Chamaenerion, and some authors continued to use that genus. Based on a monograph published in 2007, Chamaenerion was separated from Epilobium under the new shortened name Chamerion. Some sources, including Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), continue to use the original spelling Chamaenerion. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Chamaenerion angustifolium Chamerion angustifolium var. angustifolium Chamerion spicatum Epilobium angustifolium Epilobium angustifolium ssp. angustifolium Epilobium angustifolium var. intermedium Epilobium spicatum |
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Common Names |
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fireweed French-willow great willow-herb (Canada) great willowherb (Canada) rosebay willowherb (Europe) willowherb |
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Glossary
Filament
On plants: The thread-like stalk of a stamen which supports the anther. On Lepidoptera: One of a pair of long, thin, fleshy extensions extending from the thorax, and sometimes also from the abdomen, of a caterpillar.
Linear
Long, straight, and narrow, with more or less parallel sides, like a blade of grass.
Raceme
An unbranched, elongated inflorescence with stalked flowers. The flowers mature from the bottom up.
Rhizome
A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.
Sepal
An outer floral leaf, usually green but sometimes colored, at the base of a flower.
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Inflorescence |
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_01.jpg "fireweed (ssp. angustifolium)") |
_04.jpg "fireweed (ssp. angustifolium)") |
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Flower |
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_02.jpg "fireweed (ssp. angustifolium)") |
_03.jpg "fireweed (ssp. angustifolium)") |
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