Micranthes foliolosa nov. var. sisimiutii from Sisimiut, Greenland

Micranthes foliolosa nov. var. sisimiutii is characterized among others by its size and development of 3 capsules, which all opened to throwing seeds in the surroundings. Only the half of the normal 2 capsules opened for spreading seeds. The new variety is found growing near Sisimiut (Greenland) and the plant develops five characteristic growth forms, which all gathered to one of the investigated localities, loc. 2 at the Scout Lake (Nalunnguarfik) at Sisimiut.



Micranthes foliolosa nov. var. sisimiutii will only be identified correctly by knowledge to a total local population. In normal botanical collections a single specimen of Micranthes foliolosa nov. var. sisimiutii can contain characters which easily can be misinterpreted belonging to other varieties or subspecies of the species complex Micranthes foliolosa and Micranthes redofskyi or partial Micranthes ferruginea. Micranthes foliolosa nov. var. sisimiutii have more original characters and must be considered to be close to a parent species which may have survived and evolved in the open land just south of the glacial maximum 21.000 years ago in North America.



Because of the unique great variation at only one locality (loc. 2, Nalunnguarfik) it is vital for the species Micranthes foliolosa (R. Brown) Gornall and especially Micranthes foliolosa nov. var. sisimiutii Wilken & Jürgensen, why the locality must be protected and preserved for the future.