Parnassia grandifolia DC.

Largeleaf Grass-of-parnassus

Florida native

Endangered Florida species

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A rare perennial herb of shaded stream banks, boggy cypress stands, and white cedar swamps, occurring in only four Florida counties: Liberty and Franklin in the panhandle and Marion and Putnam in the north-central peninsula. The range extends throughout the southeastern United States, west into Texas and Oklahoma, with the northern extent Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia. In many of these states it is only found in one or a few counties. Parnassia grandifolia is listed as endangered in Florida and Kentucky, threatened in North Carolina and a species of special concern in Tennessee.
Much of the year, only the basal rossette of long-petiolate leaves are apparent. The leaves are round to ovate with palmate veins. The distinctive flowers appear in the fall at the top of long leafless stalks and have five white petals, each with 5-9 slightly branched, bright green veins. The prominent green ovary is superior(above the petals). This flower has fertile stamens and infertile staminodes, both white. The stamens are 7-9mm long (~1/4 to 1/3 in.) tipped with reddish anthers 2-3mm (~3/32 in.) long. The staminodes are longer than the stamens, 10-16mm (4/10 to 6/10 in.) tipped with somewhat round glands that vary from green to a yellowish pale tan.

Parnassia grandifolia is a member of the Parnassiaceae - Grass of Parnassus family.

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species

iNaturalist profile for this species

USDA Plant Profile for this species

Date record last modified: Apr 11, 2023