Publication: Amer. Monthly Mag. & Crit. Rev. 2: 176. 1818.

Origin: Native

Herbarium search: CPNWH

Notes: FNA8: "Confirmed Canadian populations of Samolus parviflorus appear to be limited to the Atlantic coastal areas and the Ottawa region of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, with a historical record (1903) known from southern Saskatchewan. A report from British Columbia (www.natureserve.org, 2006) is erroneous; no specimens exist at DAO or UBC as reported.

The name Samolus floribundus has sometimes been applied to this taxon. The publication date for S. floribundus is February 1818, making it later than S. parviflorus, published in January of that same year. Some taxonomists include this species within the European S. valerandi; that species has larger flowers and capsules, fewer racemes, and staminodes occurring in clusters of one to three. No specimens have been found of true European S. valerandi in the flora area; previous specimens labeled as S. valerandi are native species, usually S. parviflorus.

Samolus parviflorus is occasionally sold as an aquarium plant ("underwater salad")."

Last updated 5/19/2023 by David Giblin.