''Lysimachia europaea'' (formerly known as ''Trientalis europaea'') is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the primrose

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...

, called by the common name chickweed-wintergreen or arctic starflower. It is a small

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

with one or more whorls of leaves on a single slender erect stem.Taylor, L.K.; Havill, D.C.; Pearson, J.; Woodall, J. (2002) ''Trientalis europaea''. Journal of Ecology 90, 404–418 It is about one third of a foot high (10 cm), giving it its generic name. The broad lanceolate leaves are pale green but take on a copper hue in late summer. The solitary white flowers ( diameter, usually with 6–8 petals) are reminiscent of small

wood anemone The phrase wood anemone is used in common names for several closely related species of flowering plants in genus ''Anemonoides'', including: * ''Anemonoides nemorosa ''Anemonoides nemorosa'' (syn. ''Anemone nemorosa''), the wood anemone, is an e ...

s and appear in midsummer. The fruits are globular dry capsules but are seldom produced. ''Lysimachia europaea'' occurs throughout boreal regions of Europe and Asia, but is absent from eastern North America where it is largely replaced by '' Lysimachia borealis'' in corresponding habitats. This is a

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...

indicator species A bioindicator is any species (an indicator species) or group of species whose function, population, or status can reveal the qualitative status of the environment. The most common indicator species are animals. For example, copepods and other sma ...

, and in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

it is found on acid, organic soils, mainly in pine, birch and oak woodland and moorland which has supported woodland in the past, and also sometimes on heaths. The plant is a good competitor, rarely reproducing by seed but a poor colonist forming extensive clonal populations interconnected by

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s during the growing season. The rhizomes and above-ground parts are deciduous, the plant forming overwintering

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...

s. The range of the plant is changing little in Scotland, but it has declined in northern England due to woodland clearance and moor burning, however its precise distribution on the

North York Moors The North York Moors is an upland area in north-eastern Yorkshire, England. It contains one of the largest expanses of Calluna, heather moorland in the United Kingdom. The area was designated as a national parks of England and Wales, National P ...

is now better known. The flower is the provincial flower of the

Värmland Värmland () also known as Wermeland, is a '' landskap'' (historical province) in west-central Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Dalsland, Dalarna, Västmanland, and Närke, and is bounded by Norway in the west. Latin name versions are ''Va ...

province in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

and the "county flower" of

Nairn Nairn (; gd, Inbhir Narann) is a town and royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nairn enters the Moray Firth. It is the tradit ...

. ''Trientalis europaea'' is now widely referenced in botanical literature under the name ''Lysimachia europaea''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q50346430, from2=Q157581 europaea Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus