Claytonia Sp. - Springbeauty

Montiaceae (Purslane family) - (Previously in Portulacaceae) [E-flora]

"Habit: Annual, perennial herb, from stolon, rhizome, tuberous root, or taproot, glabrous, +- fleshy. Leaf: entire; basal generally 0--many, rosetted; cauline generally 2, +- opposite, free, +- fused on 1 side, or fused into +- disk. Inflorescence: terminal, raceme, 1-sided; pedicel reflexed, in fruit erect. Flower: petals 5, pink or white; stamens 5; ovary chamber 1, placentas basal, style 1, stigmas 3. Fruit: valves 3, margins inrolling, forcibly expelling seeds. Seed: 3--6, generally black, generally appendaged."
"Species In Genus: 27 species: Central America, North America, eastern Asia, Siberia. Etymology: (John Clayton, colonial American botanist, 1694--1773)" ^[Jepson2012]

Local Species;

1. Claytonia cordifolia - heartleaf springbeauty ^{[E-flora][PCBC][TSFTK]}
2. Claytonia exigua
• ssp exigua - pale springbeauty ^{[E-flora][PCBC]}
• ssp glauca - pallid claytonia ^[E-flora]
3. Claytonia lanceolata - western springbeauty ^{[E-flora][PCBC][TSFTK]}
4. Claytonia parviflora ssp parviflora- streambank springbeauty ^[E-flora]
5. Claytonia perfoliata - miner's-lettuce ^{[E-flora][PCBC][TSFTK]}
6. Claytonia rubra - redstem springbeauty ^[E-flora]
   • ssp depressa - redstem springbeauty ^[E-flora]
   • ssp rubra - redstem springbeauty ^[E-flora]
7. Claytonia sibirica - Siberian miner's-lettuce ^{[E-flora][PCBC][TSFTK]}
8. Claytonia washingtoniana- Washington springbeauty ^[E-flora]

Species Mentioned:

• C. acutifolia, ^[Schofield]
• C. caroliniana. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}
• C. lanceolata. ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}
• C. megarhiza, ^[Schofield]
• C. scammaniana, ^[Schofield]
• C. sibirica (AKA. Montia sibirica), ^[Schofield]
• C. tuberosa, ^{[Schofield][Turner, Kuhnlein]}
• C. umbellata. ^[Schofield]

Edible Uses

The deep fleshy taproot of C. acutifolia and the corm of C. tuberosa have been used as potato substitutes. Raw, boiled, baked, or stir-fried. Large and fleshy. They may be stored in a root cellar for winter use. ^[Schofield] "Claytonia spp. (spring beauty); Portulacaceae—herbaceous perennials of temperate woodlands, subalpine meadows, prairies, N America, NE Asia; corms cooked and eaten by many peoples." [ETWP]

"The corms of the related C.megarhiza (syn. C.acutifolia) were gathered by the Wales area Eskimo of Alaska and eaten fresh, raw or cooked, usually with seal oil (Heller, 1976). The corms of another species, C.virginica were eaten by Iroquois and Algonquin peoples (Waugh, 1916; Black, 1980). The young leaves of this species are also known to be edible (Kindscher, 1987). The young, tender leaves of miner's-lettuce (C.perfoliata; syn.Montia)and Siberian miner's-lettuce, or Siberian sprijig-beauty (Claytonia sibirica;syn.Montia) are edible, but were apparently not a traditional food of Indigenous Peoples of British Columbia and Alaska. Some people have eaten them recently, however (Heller, 1976; Galloway, 1982; Turner et al., 1990)." ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

Claytonia Sp.; "The small bulbs may be eaten raw, boiled, or roasted. They will improve the flavor of any stew." [Kirk WEP] "When collecting, keep only the largest corms and replant the others. At first, many find the corms distasteful, as they do take a little getting used to. The corms are high in starch and, when cooked, taste like potatoes. Boil or bake the corm for thirty minutes. Most species are not plentiful, so be conservative in your endeavor. They can also be dried on strings for long-term storage." [Vizgirdas WPSN]

Usage of Non-local Species;

• C. virginica and C. caroliniana are similar plants of the eastern United States and also produce edible corms which can be used. ^[Harrington]
  
• A far northern species, C. tuberosa, is used by the Eskimos according to Heller, (119).^[Harrington]

Cultivation

Does well in rock gardens, especially when planted in moist soil in a shady location. ^[Schofield]

Growing Cycle: C. perfoliata; Miner's lettuce is an annual. It begins its growth in midwinter, sending up its flower stalk by early spring, and is usually dried and shrivelled by summer. [Nyerges]

Groundcover: C. perfoliata; "Although only an annual, this species makes an excellent ground cover in a cool acid soil under trees. In such a position it usually self-sows freely[208] and grows all year round[K]." [PFAF]

C. perfoliata; "Prefers a moist peaty soil[1, 60]. It is often found growing wild on sandy soils[264]. An easily grown plant, it can succeed on very poor and dry soils[52, 60]. Plants grow well the dappled shade of trees, producing a better quality crop in such a situation[52, 60, 264]. Although only an annual[208], it usually self-sows when well sited. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -15°c. Miner's lettuce is occasionally cultivated as a salad plant[1, 46]. It's main value is as a reliable producer of leaves in the winter, though it can provide leaves all year round[141, 200, 264]. It can be grown as a cut and come again crop[183]." [PFAF]

Western Springbeauty - Claytonia lanceolata

Identification

"Claytonia lanceolata is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower in March, and the seeds ripen in May. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)" ^[PFAF]

"Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil." ^[PFAF]

• "General: Perennial herb from a spherical underground corm bearing fibrous roots; stems ascending to erect, simple, single to several, 5-25 cm tall." [IFBC-E-flora]
• "Leaves: Basal leaves 1 or 2, elliptic to broadly oblanceolate, the blades 2-15 mm wide, up to 15 cm long including the threadlike underground stalk; stem leaves paired, opposite, free, usually unstalked, narrowly lanceolate to egg-shaped, 1.5-6 cm long, 5-20 mm wide, smooth." [IFBC-E-flora]
• "Flowers: Inflorescence of loose racemes with 3-20 flowers on stalks 1-5 cm long, with one bract subtending the lowest flower; petals 5, white or pinkish or pink-veined, 5-12 mm long, joined at the base for 1-2 mm; sepals 2, 3-7 mm long." [IFBC-E-flora]
• "Fruits: Capsules, egg-shaped, 4 mm long; seeds 3-6, round, black, shiny, 2-2.5 mm long." [IFBC-E-flora]

"Notes: Plants with stalked stem leaves from Vancouver Island and NW WA have been recognized as var. pacifica. Since plants with stalked stem leaves occur in populations of the species elsewhere in BC and WA this form does not appear significant. The yellow-flowered form (var. chrysantha), found just to the south of the BC border in NW WA was also shown to be synonymous with this species (Douglas and Taylor 1972)." [IFBC-E-flora]

Synonyms

• C. multiscapa. ^[PFAF]

Occurrence: "Rich woods, thickets, and moist slopes and subalpine meadows, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, north to central Alaska and the Yukon, and south in the United States to southern California and New Mexico in the West, and to Tennessee and North Carolina in the East. Var. carolinanais found in Canada from Ontario to Newfoundland, var.lanceolata from British Columbia to southwestern Saskatchewan, and var.tuberosafrom northern British Columbia to west central Yukon and central Alaska." ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

Species Mentioned: "Spring-Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana;.. ;including vars. lanceolata and tuberosa, often considered as separate species, C.lanceolata and C.tuberosa)" ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

Edible Uses

Root

• "Like the eastern variety, the corms are tasty, with a somewhat bitter aftertaste. Eat corms (roots) raw, steamed or roasted." [Meuninck EWPUH]
• "Root - raw or cooked[61, 105, 161, 257]. Rather palatable[60]. The raw root has a pleasant radish-like taste, when baked it has the taste and texture of baked potato[212]. The roots can be dried, ground into a powder and stored for later use[257]. The globose tubers are up to 20mm in diameter[270]." ^[PFAF]
• Tuberous corms were used by indians and seem to us to be rather high in starch. Raw, they were crisp like potatoes, not at all displeasing but not very flavorful to our tatse. The peeled ones were somewhat like potatoes, perhaps even better tasting. Peel came off readily on the whole ones after cooking, but we thought it imparted a slightly "earthy" taste. ^[Harrington]
• Claytonia corms could be steamed or pit-cooked for only a short time. ^{[Turner&Kuhnlen]}
• "The fleshy, succulent corms of spring-beauty, often called "Indian potato," "wild potato," or "mountain potato," were an important "root vegetable" for many Indigenous Peoples of Canada and neighboring areas..... The corms of var.tuberosawere sliced and fried by the Fisherman Lake Slave (Lamont, 1977), and were roasted or added to stews by Eskimo peoples of Alaska, who also ate the basal leaves, raw or cooked (Heller, 1976).... They were also eaten fresh or roasted by the Blackfoot and Flathead peoples of Alberta and Montana (Blankinship, 1905; Hart, 1976). The corms were usually dug from late May to late June, during or inmiediately after flowering. They could also be dug later in summer or fall, but since the stems die down quickly after flowering, the corms are sometimes difficult to locate later in the season. The largest corms are said to come from plants bearing several stems.... During the root-digging season, entire families and sometimes small groups of families often camped for two or more weeks in the subalpine meadow areas to dig these corms, and the bulbs of yellow avalanche lily (Erythronium grandiflorum)." ^{[Turner&Kuhnlein]}
• The corms could be stored fresh in underground caches, cooked for immediate consumption, or cooked and dried for winter, either singly or in long strings. If there were large quantities, they were pit-cooked for a short time. Long-term pit-cooking, such as was required for yellow avalanche lily bulbs, was not needed for these corms, since they are apparently easily digested even when raw. Smaller quantities of the corms, especially recently, are boiled or steamed like potatoes. Sometimes, the corms were kept fresh until the saskatoon berries were ripe, then cooked and mixed with mashed saskatoons and dried in cakes for later use. Sometimes the cooked corms were flattened with the hand before being dried; the drying process was said to take about five days. Before use, the dried corms were simply boiled, or might be soaked for a short time. ^{[Turner&Kuhnlein]}

Leaves - raw or cooked[61, 85]. ^[PFAF] "Leaves are edible raw or cooked; welcome addition to a mountain meadow salad" [Meuninck EWPUH]

Spring-beauty – Claytonia lanceolata ^{[Turner, Kuhnlein]}

Propagation

"Seed - surface sow on a peat based compost in spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 4 weeks at 10°c[164]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division of offsets in spring or autumn." ^[PFAF]

Cultivation

"Prefers a damp peaty soil and a position in full sun[1, 164]. Requires a lime-free soil[164]." ^[PFAF]

Claytonia perfoliata - Miner's Lettuce

"Claytonia perfoliata is a ANNUAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in).
It is not frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from May to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies, self.The plant is self-fertile." [PFAF]

"Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil." [PFAF]

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

• Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata [E-flora]

• "General: Annual herb from a slender taproot; stems ascending to erect, simple, several, 1-35 cm tall." [IFBC-E-flora]
• "Leaves: Basal leaves few to many, spreading to erect, more or less equal in size, elliptic to round-deltate, the blades 0.5-4 cm long, tapered abruptly to the stalk, the stalks up to 20 cm long; stem leaves paired, opposite, fused on both margins, forming a disk less than 5 cm wide." [IFBC-E-flora]
• "Flowers: Inflorescence of whorled racemes with 5-40 flowers on stalks 1-10 cm long or unstalked, with one bract subtending the lowest flower; petals 5, white or pinkish, 2-6 mm long; sepals 2, 1.5-5 mm long." [IFBC-E-flora]
• "Fruits: Capsules; seeds 3, round to egg-shaped, black, shiny, smooth (at 20x magnification), the appendages white, fleshy, 1-2.7 mm long." [IFBC-E-flora]

Habitat / Range

"Moist, sandy vernal sites, meadows, thickets and forests in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent in SW and SE BC, infrequent in SC BC; S to SD, MT, UT, AZ and MX, also known from AK." [IFBC-E-flora]

Synonyms

Montia perfoliata. 2/3 Confidence [ThePlantList.org]

Edible Uses:

• Leaves: "Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 5, 12, 27, 52, 62]. A fairly bland flavour with a mucilaginous texture, it is quite nice in a salad[183, K]. The young leaves are best[85], older leaves can turn bitter especially in the summer and if the plant is growing in a hot dry position[K]. Although individual leaves are fairly small, they are produced in abundance and are easily picked[K]." [PFAF] "The whole plant can be used in salads. The chopped leaves,lightly seasoned with apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), and a high quality cold-pressed oil (such as Olio Sasso) make an excellent salad. The succulent leaves not only taste good but are also rich in vitamin C and iron. The name, miner's lettuce, refers to the California '49ers, who, while mining along California's remote rivers and streams, ate this plant to prevent vitamin deficiency." [Nyerges] "This was a well known food plant to the indians and to the early white settlers. It has been cultivated in France. Harvested in spring. The young plants may be used raw as a kind of salad. Shoots and leaves cooked as greens and reported to be excellent." [Harrington]
• Leaves/Shoots: "Related to Siberian purslane, and with a similar beetroot-type flavour. Can be used raw in salads or added into stews, soups, etc. for just a few minutes of cooking." [Crawford FFFG] "Tasty survival food, high in nutrients, and used as an appetite stimulant" [Meuninck EWPUH] ""When the plants are mature with long stems, I like to chop the stems and leaves and quickly sauté with garlic for a tasty vegetable." [Jones TDFB]
  
• Stems & Flowers: C. oleracea/C. perfoliata; "Both the stems and the flowers are edible and should not be discarded." [Mouritsen Seaweeds] "Raw[52]. A nice addition to the salad bowl[K]." [PFAF]
• Taproot: Miner's lettuce can be lightly cooked and eaten like spinach. Tuna or hard-boiled eggs eaten with miner's lettuce provide the protein that's missing in the plant, and small quantities of seasoning enhance its unique mild flavor. Or, if you're particularly industrious, you could try the trick used by some of the Native Americans, who laid miner's lettuce around red ant holes. The formic acid that came from the ants as they walked over the leaves was said to impart a vinegar flavor to the greens. [Nyerges]
  

Medicinal Use

• Plant: "A poultice of the mashed plants has been applied to rheumatic joints[257]." [PFAF]
• Leaves: "The leaves are gently laxative[94]. Apart from its value as a nourishing vegetable that is rich in vitamin C, it can also be taken as an invigorating spring tonic and an effective diuretic[254]." [PFAF] "This plant was regarded as a medicine only to the extent that due to its vitamin C content, it was useful in preventing scurvy." [Nyerges]

Cultivation

• "The plant is one of the frst to sprout in the spring and creates large and spectacular masses of greenery. Once temperatures rise and the rainfalls diminish, the plant withers and dies, eventually disappearing to then be replaced by other wild plants." [Jones TDFB]
• "Among the most profitable wild edible plants growing in Bariloche, the authors indicate that Claytonia perfoliata Donn ex Willd. (syn. Montia perfoliata (Donn ex Willd.) Howell), a North American invader of Patagonian urban forests, shows clear capabilities to recover after harvesting the aerial parts (Díaz-Betancourt et al. 1999; Rapoport et al. 1998)." [Tardio MWEP]
• Ant-Plant Interaction: " Elaiosome colour may also be viewed as a specialized 'cue' for ant collection: most elaiosomes are pale or white, often contrasting with black seed as in Claytonia perfoliata (Woodcock 1926) or Helleborus foetidus (Dymes 1916)." [Werger APA]

Remediation

• "Cerastium arvense, Claytonia perfoliata, and Stellaria calycantha were found to uptake and accumulate cadmium." [Phytorem2]

Siberian miner's-lettuce - Claytonia sibirica

Other Names: Siberian springbeauty ^[E-flora]

Identification

"Claytonia sibirica is an evergreen Annual/Perennial growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 3 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Apr to July, and the seeds ripen from Jun to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil." [PFAF]

• "General: Perennial (sometimes annual) herb from a slender taproot or short rhizome; stems spreading to erect, few to several, 5-60 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Leaves: Basal leaves numerous, the blades oblanceolate to egg-shaped, triangular or deltate, 1-8 cm long, tapering to a 2-22 cm stalk, some stalk bases sheathed or bulb-like; stem leaves paired, opposite, free, lanceolate to egg-shaped, unstalked, 1-8 cm long." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Flowers:Inflorescence of terminal and axillary racemes with 10-22 flowers on stalks 1-5 cm long, nodding in bud but spreading in flower, with 1 bract per 1-2 flowers; petals 5, white or pink (fading to white), 6-12 mm long; sepals 2, 3-6 mm long."^{[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Fruits: Capsules, 2.5-3.5 mm long; seeds 1, sometimes 3, round to elliptic, black, shiny or dull, 1.5-2 mm long.^{"[IFBC-E-flora]}
• "Notes: A highly variable species sometimes confused with C. cordifolia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Habitat / Range

"Moist streambanks, meadows, beaches, thickets and forests in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; common in and W of the Coast-Cascade Mountains S of 55degreeN, less frequent eastward; amphiberingian, S to MT, UT and CA; E Asia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Found in abundance near Beaver Pond in Port Alberni [2-(May 15, 2015)]

Ecological Indicator Information

"A shade-tolerant, submontane to montane, Asian and Pacific North American moss; its occurrence decreases with increasing continentality. Occurs in cool temperate and cool mesothermal climates on very shallow, calcium-rich soils. Inhabits coarse fragments, cliffs, or bark of trees in shaded forest understories. Characteristic of calcium-rich substrates. (IPBC)" ^[E-flora]

Edible Uses

"The stems, leaves and flowers are all edible and when eaten raw have a beet-like flavour, sweet and fresh with a very slight bitterness." [Crawford FFFG]

• Leaves:
• Tender leaves added to salads, soups and sandwiches. Greens are high in vitamins A and C.^[Schofield]
• "Raw or cooked[2, 62, 183]. They usually have a fairly bland flavour and are quite nice in a salad or cooked as a green vegetable. The leaves have a distinct earthy after-taste rather like raw beetroot[K]. They are available all year round but can turn rather bitter in the summer, especially if the plant is growing in a hot dry position[K]. Although on the small side, the leaves are produced in abundance and are very easily harvested[K]." ^[PFAF]
• Young spring leaves have a tasty, slightly sour flavor.[2]
• Flowers: Adds a colorful edible garnish to many dishes. ^[Schofield]

Medicinal Uses

• Plant: "The plant is diuretic[257]. The juice of the plant has been used as eye drops for sore red eyes[257]." ^[PFAF] "A poultice made from the plant was used for rheumatic pains and to stimulate a poor appetite." [Vizgirdas WPSN]
• Leaves: "A poultice of the chewed leaves has been applied to cuts and sores[257]." ^[PFAF]. "The leaves of C. sibirica (Siberian springbeauty) were soaked and applied to the head as a remedy for a headache (Schofield 1989).... A tea from the leaves was used as a laxative." [Vizgirdas WPSN]
• Stems: "A cold infusion of the stems has been used as an antidandruff wash for the hair[257]." ^[PFAF]

Propagation

"Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates rapidly." [PFAF]

Cultivation

• Groundcover: A good ground cover plant for a shady position[208]. This species is a short-lived perennial but it usually self-sows freely and gives a dense weed-excluding ground cover[K]. ^[PFAF]

"A very tolerant and easily grown plant, it prefers a moist peaty soil[1] and is unhappy in dry situations[K]. It succeeds in full sun[200] though is happier when given some shade and also grows in the dense shade of beech trees[88]. Plants usually self-sow freely[200, K]. This is an excellent and trouble-free salad plant. It is extremely cold-hardy and can provide edible leaves all year round in all areas of the country even if it is not given protection[K]." [PFAF]

Synonyms

• Claytonia alsinoides [PFAF]
• Claytonia sibirica var. cordifolia (S. Watson) R.J. Davis ^[E-flora]
• Claytonia sibirica var. heterophylla ^[E-flora]
• Claytonia sibirica var. sibirica ^[E-flora]
• Montia cordifolia (S. Watson) Pax & K. Hoffm. ^[E-flora]
• Montia sibirica var. heterophylla ^[E-flora]

References

• [2]Personal Observation
• [E-flora] In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2017. E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
• Claytonia lanceolata, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Claytonia%20lanceolata&redblue=Both&lifeform=7, [Accessed: 24/09/2018 5:02:41 AM ]
• Claytonuia perfoliata, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Claytonia perfoliata&redblue=Both&lifeform=7 [Accessed: 11/30/2014 12:08:16 AM ]
• Claytonia sibirica, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Claytonia sibirica&redblue=Both&lifeform=7 [Accessed: 11/30/2014 12:00:26 AM ]
• [Jepson2012] - John M. Miller & Kenton L. Chambers 2012, Claytonia palustris, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edueflora_display.php?tid=19630, accessed on December 15, 2017.
• [PFAF]
• Claytonia sibirica, http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Claytonia+sibirica, Accessed May 15, 2015
• Claytonia lanceolata, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Claytonia%20lanceolata, Plants For A Future, pfaf.org, Accessed May 30, 2014
• Claytonia perfoliata , http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Claytonia+perfoliata, Accessed May 30, 2014