← Browse All Wildflowers / Fen Grass of Parnassus
par-NAS-ee-uh GLAW-kuh · approximate botanical Latin
A small wetland wildflower with white petals traced in green and a remarkable golden-tipped center.
DSCN59736 · Petal veins and yellow-tipped prongs are especially clear here. Tap the photo to enlarge.
Other common names
American Grass of Parnassus · Eastern Grass of Parnassus · Grass of Parnassus.
Look for a single white flower atop each slender stem in sunny fens and groundwater-fed wet meadows.
Open the range map to explore photographed sightings and their locations.
01 · Petals
Five white petals have prominent green veins reaching toward their edges.
02 · Flower center
Five sterile structures, called staminodes, usually divide into three yellow-tipped prongs each.
03 · Leaves
Most leaves form a smooth-edged basal cluster; a smaller leaf may sit low on the flowering stem. [2] [1]
Five three-pronged staminodes make a ring of about 15 small yellow tips resembling nectar droplets. Green petal veins help guide visiting insects toward the center. [2]
Recorded visitors include flies, bees, wasps, and butterflies. The bee Andrena parnassiae specializes on grass-of-Parnassus. [3]
Several of Brian’s photographs show spiders on the flowers. A flower can be a hunting perch as well as a feeding stop.
After flowering, a dry capsule develops and opens to release many tiny seeds. [3]
For identification, photograph the flower face, its short sepals, and both basal and stem leaves.
Explore 21 photographs of the flower, its wetland surroundings, and visiting insects. Select any photo to enlarge it.
Check the staminodes: P. glauca usually has three prongs per group; P. palustris has many more. Its longer sepals can also show between the petals. [1]
Use several features together; a white, veined flower alone is not a complete species check.
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Transparent PNG · 2560 × 2560 pixels
Personal & commercial use included · $1.99
Preview watermarks are removed from the download.
Transparent PNG · 2560 × 2560 pixels
Personal & commercial use included · $1.99
Preview watermarks are removed from the download.
Native from central and eastern Canada into the north-central and northeastern United States, including Illinois. [4]
Explore the observation map to see where people have photographed it.
Observations show reported sightings; they do not define the plant’s complete native range.
Study the veined petals, three-pronged staminodes, and leaves—then practice identifying this and other wildflowers in the quiz.
[1] Minnesota Wildflowers — identification, season, and similar species
[2] Native Plant Trust · Go Botany — flower structures and habitat
[3] Illinois Wildflowers — local habitat, seeds, and insect visitors
[4] Kew · Plants of the World Online — accepted name, family, and native range
[5] iNaturalist — Fen Grass of Parnassus
[6] Friends of the Wildflower Garden — botanical details and name history
[7] Genesis Nursery — genus pronunciation
[8] NC State Extension — glauca pronunciation (constructed full-name guide)