''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 group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the evening primrose family), are a family of herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants and wildflowers. Most are perennial though som ...

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

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 (se ...

indicator species, and in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

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 rhizomes 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 growin ...

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 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 '' ...

province in Sweden 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 tradi ...

. ''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