The twinflower, also known as Linnaea borealis L., is part of the honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae) family. The twinflower, which is native to areas of Canada, the United States, and Europe is also known as Linnea in Norwegian, Linnæa in Danish, Vanamo in Finnish, and Moosglöckchen in German.
To view the official taxinomical report for the Linnaea borealis see: www.itis.usda.gov. Common descendants of the Linnaea borealis are the species Linnaea borealis ssp. Americana ((Forbes) Hultén ex Clausen), and the species Linnaea borealis ssp. Longiflora ((Torr.) Hultén). Breeders are specifically people who force flowers to hybrid and cross-pollinate until a new, genetically different verity is formed. These hybrids are different enough to warrant being called something else, but are usually not stable enough to branch out on their own, therefore they are labeled after their parents and usually the founder is noted in the binomial nomenclature.
Currently endangered in Iowa, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia. Extirpated in Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, and Ohio. Although used by the native Americans as a tea, this flower should not be harvested since it is endangered and extirpated in so many states. And although non-toxic should not be harvested for food for the same reason, in fact don’t pick these flowers either, take a picture since it will last longer anyway.
The twinflower is a creeping broadleaf shrublet that has rounded leaves and a habit to grow linearly close to the ground, but since it only grows to be about four to six inches tall, it's very small. Since it's an evergreen type of shrub, its leaves persist for about two years before they eventually fall off. The flowers, which are pink or white in color are very fragrant and bloom between June and September, but only last about seven days after blooming before they die. The flower itself has five petals and four stamens, two of which are longer than the other two. They like open shade coniferous forests, with slightly moist slightly acidic humus beds. Since it's a creeping flower the plants have a main stolon, with numerous short stems sprouting off the main plant. The twinflower mainly propagates by division, though it does have seeds, which are sticky and can be carried by animals to other locations. Named the twinflower because the flowers usually bloom in pairs, and the Linnaea borealis L. after Swedish botanist Carl von Linnaeus and borealis meaning "northern".
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picture: http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/Syllabus2/lborealis.htm
- http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/caprifolia/linna/linnbor.html
- http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/shrubs/linnaea.html
- http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/eco/yourforest/wildflowers/twinflower.html