Home List of Plants & Others on the North SlopePlant List: N-P

Plant List: N-P

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Narrow-Leaved Saussurea

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Saussurea viscida
Family Name: Asteraceae
Description: Long, lance-shaped leaves radiating out from stem. Flowers growing up from the center; purple petals with hairy, black bracts.
Habitat and NSB locations: Dry tundra.
Height: 3-4 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Narrow-leaved saussurea taken by Leslie Pierce south of Teshekpuk Lake


Narrow-leaved saussarea taken by Jo Heathcote south of Teshekpuk Lake

Nodding Bladder-Campion

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Silene uralensis (previously Melandrium apetalum)
Family Name: Caryophyllaceae
Description: Leaves linear, smaller along stem than at base. Single oval flower drooping on stem, with inflated sepals, lilac petals slightly longer than sepals. Usually more than one plant growing together. Silene involucrata (previously M.affine) has green inflated sepals and white petals protuding from the oval flower.
Habitat and NSB locations: Dry tundra.
Height: 8-12 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Melandrium apetalum taken by Chris Finkler near Barrow


Taken by Leslie Pierce near Kaktovik in July


Melandrium affine taken by Renee Hoover in Point Lay in early July

Nodding Saxifrage

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Saxifraga cernua
Family Name: Saxifragaceae
Description: Small plant with a single white flower at the tip of the stem. Rosette of bright, green, 5-7 lobed leaves at the base with small purplish leaves and bulbets along the stem.
Habitat and NSB locations: Found in gravelly areas on the tundra.
Height: Up to about 4″ tall.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Nodding saxifrage taken by Chris Finkler near Barrow


Nodding saxifrage (among Coltsfoot leaves) taken by Leslie Pierce near Barrow

Northern Anemone

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Anemone parviflora
Family Name: Ranunculaceae
Description: Leaves basal, dark green, bluntly-toothed divided. One flower per stalk, 6 white sepals, bluish underneath, with many stamens.
Habitat and NSB locations: Early bloomer in moist meadows or near snowbanks.
Height:5-6 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Taken by Brian Person near Kealok Creek

Northern Primrose

Iñupiaq Name: Piļġaurat
Scientific Name: Primula borealis
Family Name: Primulaceae
Description: Leaves small, ovate, slightly toothed, growing at base. Flowering stem taller; tube flowers clustered at top with five lilac to white bi-lobed petals and yellow tube.
Habitat and NSB locations: Salty shorelines.
Height: 3-4 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Primula borealis taken by Leslie Pierce near Point Lay in early July

Northern Rock Jasmine or Pygmyflower

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Androsace septentrionalis (see also A. chamaejasme)
Family Name: Primulaceae
Description: Leaves in basal whorl, oblong to lance-shaped, slightly toothed. Plant with several flowering stalks, green to reddish; flowers in cluster at top. Small, tube-shaped flowers with white, 5-lobed petals with yellow center. Green sepals with reddish edges.
Habitat and NSB locations: Rocky areas.
Height: 2-4 inches.
Traditional Uses:


Taken by Leslie Pierce in Point Lay in early July

Northern Water Carpet

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Chrysosplenium tetrandrum
Family Name: Saxifragaceae
Description: Light green leaves rounded and kidney-shaped with shallow lobes; flowers with green sepals; cup-like fruit with brown, smooth seeds visible.
Habitat and NSB locations: Wet areas.
Height: 3 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.

Oysterleaf

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Mertensia maritima
Family Name: Boraginaceae
Description: Succulent (fleshy), oval, blue-green leaves on trailing stems along the ground. Small, blue flowers in clusters at end of stems.
Habitat and NSB locations: Sandy, gravelly beaches along the coastal areas of the North Slope.
Height: 2-3″.
Traditional Uses: leaves can be eaten raw.


Mertensia maritima taken by Chris Finkler near Barrow


Oysterleaf near Kaktovik in July, taken by Leslie Pierce

Paintbrush

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Castilleja caudata
Family Name: Scrophulariaceae
Description: Plant with single stem; leaves alternate, lance-shaped, slightly hairy. Flowers greenish-yellow with yellowish hairs.
Habitat and NSB locations: Tundra meadows or along streams.
Height: 6-8 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.
Photo: See this picture on the Toolik-Arctic Geobotanical Atlas.


Taken by Leslie Pierce near Point Lay in early July. Paintbrush (yellow flowers, Castilleja caudata) mixed with dwarf fireweed

Pallas’ Buttercup

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Ranunculus pallasii
Family Name: Ranunculaceae
Description: Plant submerged in pond; leaves club-shaped to 3-lobed; white flowers float on surface.
Habitat and NSB locations:
Height:
Traditional Uses: None known.


Pallas’ buttercup taken by Karen Hegyi near Barrow

Parry’s Wallflower

Iñupiaq Name: Masu Aiġaq
Scientific Name: Parrya nudicaulis
Family Name: Brassicaceae
Description: Leaves all basal; oblong to spatulate, slightly toothed, grayish-green. Flower stalk leafless; loose raceme of large purple to lavender flowers; tube flowers with 4 lobes, tube lighter in color; sepals shorter than tube and darker in color.
Habitat and NSB locations: Moist, sandy or rocky areas.
Height: 6-8 inches.
Traditional Uses: Roots and leaves are edible.


Parry’s wallflower taken by Leslie Pierce near the Kukpowruk River in June


Parry’s wallflower taken by Jo Heathcote south of Teshekpuk Lake

Pasque Flower

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Pulsatilla patens
Family Name: Ranunculaceae
Description: Leaves and stem covered with silky hairs. Leaves highly divided (2 or 3-parts with many segments) with hairs on the margins. Single, large flower with 5 light blue or purple petals, with dark stamens and yellowish centers.
Habitat and NSB locations: Dry, sandy areas.
Height: 4-5 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Pasque flower taken by Jo Heathcote south of Teshekpuk Lake

Pendant Grass or Arctic Pendant Grass

Iñupiaq Name: Pikniq
Scientific Name: Arctophila fulva
Family Name: Poaceae
Description: Yellowish-green stems; flowers in large open, drooping panicles. Turn bright red in the fall.
Habitat and NSB locations: Lakeshores and stream banks, in shallow water.
Height: 1-2 feet high.
Traditional Uses: None known.
Photo: See this picture on the Toolik-Arctic Geobotanical Atlas.


Arctophila  taken by Karen Hegyi near Barrow

Pineappleweed, or Disc Mayweed

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Matricaria discoidea
Family Name: Asteraceae
Description: Compound leaves are highly branched and dissected, looking fern-like. Flowering head of yellowish to reddish disc florets, with no ray florets (no petals). Green bracts surrounding the dome-shaped flowerhead.
Habitat and NSB locations: Weedy, and grows in open areas, gravelly areas, and near roadsides.
Height: 3-12 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Pineappleweed in Point Lay, taken in 2006 by Leslie Pierce

Pink Plumes or Bistort

Iñupiaq Name: Ippiq or Ippigich or Qaqauraq
Scientific Name: Polygonum bistorta (pink plumes), also P. viviparum (alpine bistort)
Family Name: Polygonaceae
Description: Leaves long, thick and elliptical-shaped; dark green above, gray below; edges curled under slightly. Flower spike on green to reddish-brown stalk taller than leaves; tight cluster of pink flowers with dark anthers on P. bistorta, and smaller white flowers on  P. viviparum. P. viviparum with flowers near bottom of spike that develop into bulbs.
Habitat and NSB locations: Wet places, snowbeds.
Height: 12-18 inches.
Traditional Uses: Young leaves are put in seal oil or eaten raw in salads. Roots can be cooked or eaten raw. Leaves contain vitamin C and the precursor to vitamin A. Used as an astringent.
IHLC Specimen: Photo of pink plumes collected for the NSB Arctic Harvest project in the early 1990’s.


Pink plumes taken by Leslie Pierce near Point Lay in early July


Pink plumes taken by Jo Heathcote south of Teshekpuk Lake

Polar Grass

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Arctagrostis latifolia
Family Name: Poaceae
Description: Grass with stout stem; leaves mostly along stem, up to 1 cm broad. Flowers in panicle, mostly purplish.
Habitat and NSB locations: Wet meadows or along rivers, ponds or streams.
Height: 1-2 feet.
Traditional Uses: None known.
Photo: See this picture on the Toolik-Arctic Geobotanical Atlas.


Arctagrostis taken by Leslie Pierce south of Teshekpuk Lake

Puffball

Iñupiaq Name: Argaiġñaq 
Scientific Name:
Family Name: Lycoperdaceae (Kingdom Fungi)
Description:
Habitat and NSB locations: Moist tundra.
Height: 1-2 inches.
Traditional Uses: Edible when young (white in the middle); pithy and full of powdered spores when older. NOTE: Mushrooms can be difficult to identify. Do not eat any wild mushrooms unless an expert has identified them for you.


Puffball taken by Leslie Pierce south of Teshekpuk Lake

Purple Mountain Saxifrage

Iñupiaq Name:
Scientific Name: Saxifraga oppositifiolia
Family Name: Saxifragaceae
Description: Low-growing, mat-forming plant; many branches covered with dense, short, opposite, tiny dark green leaves in 4 rows; leaves oblong with keel. Flowers sitting on end of stem; petals reddish-violet to purple with 5 petals.
Habitat and NSB locations: Moist gravelly or rocky areas.
Height: 1 to 2 1/2 inches.
Traditional Uses: None known.


Purple mountain saxifrage taken by Leslie Pierce near Deadhorse

Purple Oxytrope

Iñupiaq Name: Aiġaq
Scientific Name: Oxytropis nigrescens
Family Name: Fabaceae
Description: Leaves and stems with long, gray hairs; low-lying plant with 9-13 foliate leaves, leaflets oblong to ovate; 2-4 flowers on pedicel; calyx densely covered with black hairs; petals purplish to blue.
Habitat and NSB locations: Dry, rocky areas.
Height: 1-2 inches.
Traditional Uses:


Taken by Leslie Pierce near Point Lay


Blackish Oxytrope with seed pods near Kaktovik in July 2015. Taken by Leslie Pierce

Banner photo credit: Karen Hegyi

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