Indicator Plants

Fauria crista-galli – deer cabbage

Common Name

deer cabbage

Family

Menyanthaceae

Scientific Name

Fauria crista-galli

Alternate Scientific Name
  • Nephrophylldium crista-galli
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
  • Wet (W)
  • Very Wet (VW)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
  • Poor (P)

Botanical Drawing

Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.

General / Habitat
  • Perennial herb
  • Common in bogs, swamps and wet forests
  • Low to subalpine elevations
Key Identifying Characteristics
  • Form: Shallow rhizomes covered in old leaf-bases, flowering stems leafless and 10-50 cm tall
  • Leaves: All basal, kidney- to heart-shaped, thick, toothed, 5-14 cm wide, stalks 10-30 cm long
  • Flowers: White, petals fused at base into short tubes, 5-lobed petals wavy on midveins and margins, 5-30 in loose clusters
  • Fruit: Egg-shaped capsules with 1 chamber containing shiny seeds
Lookalikes
Interesting Characteristics
  • Flowers are foul-odoured (like mildew or bad cheese) to attract pollinating flies
Sources

Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.

Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.

 

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