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 - Triadenum fraseri
 
Triadenum fraseri — Fraser's marsh-St. John's-wort
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Facts
Fraser's marsh-St. John's wort was named after John Fraser (1750-1811), hosier, draper, botanist, and widely-travelled plant collector, who introduced many exotic plants to Britain.
Habitat
Shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- terrestrial
 - wetlands
 
 
- New England state
 - 
                                
                                    
- Connecticut
 - Maine
 - Massachusetts
 - New Hampshire
 - Vermont
 
 
- Flower petal color
 - 
                                
                                    
- other
 - pink to red
 
 
- Leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
 
- Flower symmetry
 - there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
 
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
 - there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
 
- Fusion of sepals and petals
 - both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
 
- Stamen number
 - 9
 
- Stem nodes swollen
 - the stem is not swollen at the nodes
 
- Fruit type (general)
 - the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
 
- Fruit length
 - 7–12 mm
 
- 
                        
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
 - the plant does not appear to have bulbils
 
- Bulblets replace flowers
 - there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
 
 - 
                        
Flowers
- Anther attachment
 - the anther is attached near its midpoint to the filament
 
- Anther color
 - the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
 
- Anther opening
 - the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
 
- Anther spurs
 - the anthers do not have spurs on them
 
- Anther tube length
 - 0 mm
 
- Calyx growth after flowering
 - the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit
 
- Calyx symmetry
 - there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
 
- Carpel hairs
 - the carpels have no hairs
 
- Carpels fused
 - the carpels are fused to one another
 
- Cilia on petals
 - the petal margins do not have cilia
 
- Cleistogamous flowers
 - there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
 
- Corolla morphology
 - NA
 
- Corolla palate
 - no
 
- Corona lobe length
 - 0 mm
 
- Epicalyx
 - the flower does not have an epicalyx
 
- Epicalyx number of parts
 - 0
 
- Filament surface
 - the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
 
- Flower appearance
 - the flowers appear after the leaves have appeared
 
- Flower description
 - the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
 
- Flower orientation
 - the flower points upwards or is angled outwards
 
- Flower petal color
 - 
                                
                                    
- other
 - pink to red
 
 
- Flower reproductive parts
 - the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
 
- Flower symmetry
 - there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
 
- Flowers sunken into stem
 - no
 
- Form of style
 - the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
 
- Fringed petal edges
 - the petals are not fringed
 
- Fused stamen clusters
 - there is another number of clusters of fused stamens
 
- Fusion of sepals and petals
 - both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
 
- Hairs on flower stalk
 - the flower stalk has no hairs on it
 
- Hairs on inflorescence
 - the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it
 
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
 - NA
 
- Hypanthium
 - the flower does not have a hypanthium
 
- Hypanthium length
 - 0 mm
 
- Inflorescence one-sided
 - the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
 
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
 - NA
 
- Interior flower disk
 - the flower does not have an interior disc
 
- Marks on petals
 - there are no noticeable marks on the petals
 
- Nectar spur
 - the flower has no nectar spurs
 
- Number of branches in umbel
 - 0
 
- Number of carpels
 - 3
 
- Number of pistils
 - 1
 
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
 - there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
 
- Number of styles
 - 3
 
- Ovary position
 - the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
 
- Perianth shape
 - the perianth is rotate (platter-shaped, the corolla flattened, circular, with nearly horizontally spreading lobes)
 
- Petal and sepal arrangement
 - the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
 
- Petal and sepal colors
 - 
                                
                                    
- other
 - pink to red
 
 
- Petal appearance
 - the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
 
- Petal base
 - the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
 
- Petal folding in bud
 - the petals in bud are arranged in a cycle with edges overlapping like roof shingles (imbricate)
 
- Petal folds or pleats
 - the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
 
- Petal glandular dots or scales
 - no
 
- Petal hairs (Viola)
 - NA
 
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
 - there are no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
 
- Petal length
 - 5–8 mm
 
- Petal length relative to sepals
 - the petals are longer than the sepals
 
- Petal nectaries
 - the petals do not have nectaries
 
- Petal number
 - 5
 
- Petal shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the petal outline is obovate (roughly egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
 - the petal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
 
 
- Petal tip shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the petal tip is acute (sharply pointed)
 - the petal tip is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
 - the petal tip is rounded
 
 
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
 - NA
 
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
 - NA
 
- Reproductive system
 - all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
 
- Scales inside corolla
 - no
 
- Sepal and petal color
 - the sepals are different from the petals
 
- Sepal appearance
 - 
                                
                                    
- the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture
 - the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
 
 
- Sepal appendages
 - the sepals do not have appendages on them
 
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
 - NA
 
- Sepal auricles
 - the sepals have no auricles
 
- Sepal cilia
 - the sepals do not have cilia
 
- Sepal color
 - 
                                
                                    
- green to brown
 - pink to red
 
 
- Sepal features
 - NA
 
- Sepal length
 - 3–5 mm
 
- Sepal number
 - 5
 
- Sepal orientation
 - the sepals are pressed against the corolla, or jutting stiffly upward
 
- Sepal relative length
 - NA
 
- Sepal shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the sepal outline is eliiptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
 - the sepal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)
 
 
- Sepal texture
 - the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture
 
- Sepal tip shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the sepal tip is obtuse (is bluntly pointed)
 - the sepal tip is rounded
 
 
- Sepal uniformity
 - all the sepals are about the same size
 
- Sepals fused only to sepals
 - the sepals are separate from one another
 
- Spur length
 - 0 mm
 
- Spur number
 - NA
 
- Stamen appendages
 - stamen appendages are absent
 
- Stamen attachment
 - the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
 
- Stamen lengths differ
 - the stamens are all approximately the same length
 
- Stamen morphology
 - the stamens within each cycle are the same
 
- Stamen number
 - 9
 
- Stamen position relative to petals
 - NA
 
- Stamen relative length
 - anything
 
- Stamens fused
 - the stamens are attached to one another at or near their bases
 
- Stigma position
 - the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
 
- Style length
 - 0.5–1.5 mm
 
- Style petal-like
 - the styles are not petal-like
 
- Style relative length
 - NA
 
- Surface of ovary
 - the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles
 
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
 - NA
 
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
 - NA
 
 - 
                        
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
 - NA
 
- Achene shape
 - NA
 
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
 - NA
 
- Achene type
 - NA
 
- Berry color
 - NA
 
- Capsule color (Viola)
 - NA
 
- Capsule ribs
 - the capsule has no prominent ribs or wings
 
- Capsule splitting
 - the capsule splits by three main valves, teeth or pores
 
- Carpel beak length
 - 0 mm
 
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
 - NA
 
- Fruit beak length
 - 0 mm
 
- Fruit cross-section
 - the fruit is round in cross-section
 
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
 - NA
 
- Fruit length
 - 7–12 mm
 
- Fruit length relative to sepals
 - the fruit is longer than its associated sepals
 
- Fruit locules
 - three
 
- Fruit shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the fruit is ovoid (egg-shaped)
 - the fruit is roughly cylindrical (with parallel sides that do not taper, and flat across the top and bottom)
 
 
- Fruit stalk orientation
 - the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward
 
- Fruit type (general)
 - the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
 
- Fruit type (specific)
 - the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
 
- Hair type on fruit
 - NA
 
- Hairs on fruit
 - the fruits are not hairy
 
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
 - NA
 
- Mericarp length
 - 0 mm
 
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
 - NA
 
- Other markings on berry
 - NA
 
- Ovary stipe
 - the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
 
- Ovary stipe length
 - 0 mm
 
- Placenta arrangement
 - the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
 
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
 - NA
 
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
 - NA
 
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
 - 0
 
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
 - NA
 
- Wings on fruit
 - the fruit does not have wings on it
 
- prickles on fruits
 - the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
 
 - 
                        
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
 - the leaf blades have glandular dots or scales
 
- Sap
 - the sap is clear and watery
 
- Sap color
 - the sap is clear
 
 - 
                        
Growth form
- Growth form
 - the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
 
- Horizontal rooting stem
 - the plant has stolons
 
- Lifespan
 - the plant lives more than two years
 
- Parasitism
 - the plant is not parasitic
 
- Plant color
 - the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
 
- Plants darken when dry
 - no
 
- Spines on plant
 - the plant has no spines
 
- Underground organs
 - the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
 
 - 
                        
Leaves
- Bracteole edges
 - NA
 
- Bracteole length
 - 0 mm
 
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
 - 0
 
- Bracteole shape
 - NA
 
- Bracteoles
 - there are no bracteoles on the plant
 
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
 - NA
 
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
 - 0 mm
 
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
 - 0
 
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
 - 0 mm
 
- Floral bracts
 - the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
 
- Hairs on leaf stalk
 - NA
 
- Hairs on underside of leaf
 - the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
 
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
 - the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
 
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
 - no
 
- Inflated hairs on leaf
 - the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
 
- Leaf blade base
 - the leaf has no stalk
 
- Leaf blade base shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
 - the base of the leaf blade is rounded
 
 
- Leaf blade base symmetry
 - the leaf blade base is symmetrical
 
- Leaf blade bloom
 - 
                                
                                    
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
 - there is a noticeable powdery or waxy bloom on the underside of the leaf
 
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
 
- Leaf blade flatness
 - the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
 
- Leaf blade hairs
 - NA
 
- Leaf blade length
 - 30–60 mm
 
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
 - the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein
 
- Leaf blade shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
 - the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
 - the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
 
 
- Leaf blade surface colors
 - the upper side of the leaf blade has obvious spots, mottles or stripes
 
- Leaf blade texture
 - the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)
 
- Leaf blade vein pattern
 - the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
 
- Leaf blade veins
 - the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)
 
- Leaf blade width
 - 10–30 mm
 
- Leaf duration
 - the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
 
- Leaf form
 - the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
 
- Leaf hair orientation
 - NA
 
- Leaf sheath length
 - 0 mm
 
- Leaf shiny
 - the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
 
- Leaf spines
 - there are no spines on the leaf edges
 
- Leaf stalk
 - the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
 
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
 - NA
 
- Leaf stalk base
 - NA
 
- Leaf stalk length
 - 0 mm
 
- Leaf teeth and lobes
 - the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
 
- Leaf tip
 - 
                                
                                    
- the tip of the leaf blade is retuse (blunt or rounded, with a notch at the tip)
 - the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
 
 
- Leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Leaf types
 - NA
 
- Leaf variation
 - the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
 
- Leaflet number
 - 0
 
- Leaflet petiolules
 - NA
 
- Leaves per node
 - there are two leaves per node along the stem
 
- Pinnately compound leaf type
 - NA
 
- Specific leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Stipels
 - NA
 
- Stipule edges
 - NA
 
- Stipule features
 - NA
 
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
 - NA
 
- Stipule length
 - 0 mm
 
- Stipule shape
 - NA
 
- Stipules
 - there are no stipules on the plant
 
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
 - 0
 
 - 
                        
Place
- Habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- terrestrial
 - wetlands
 
 
- New England state
 - 
                                
                                    
- Connecticut
 - Maine
 - Massachusetts
 - New Hampshire
 - Vermont
 
 
- Specific habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- edges of wetlands
 - shores of rivers or lakes
 - swamps
 
 
 - 
                        
Scent
- Plant odor
 - the plant does not have much of a smell
 
 - 
                        
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
 - NA
 
- Direction of stem hairs
 - NA
 
- Flowering stem cross-section
 - the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
 
- Hair between stem nodes
 - the stem has no hairs between the nodes
 
- Hairs between stem nodes
 - NA
 
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
 - no
 
- Leaves on stem
 - there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
 
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
 - 0 mm
 
- Plant height
 - 30–60 cm
 
- Stem bloom
 - 
                                
                                    
- the stem has a powdery or waxy film on it that can be rubbed away
 - there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
 
 
- Stem hair distribution
 - NA
 
- Stem nodes swollen
 - the stem is not swollen at the nodes
 
- Stem orientation
 - the stems are upright or angled outwards
 
- Stem roughness between nodes
 - the stem does not feel rough
 
- Stem spacing
 - the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together
 
- Stem succulence
 - the stems are not succulent
 
- Tendril origin
 - NA
 
- Tendrils
 - the plant does not have tendrils
 
- Wings on stem
 - the stem does not have wings on it
 
 
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
 - present
 
- Maine
 - present
 
- Massachusetts
 - present
 
- New Hampshire
 - present
 
- Rhode Island
 - absent
 
- Vermont
 - present
 
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
 - unranked (S-rank: SNR)
 
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Triadenum fraseri (Spach) Gleason N
Fraser’s marsh-St. John’s-wort. Elodea fraseri Spach; Hypericum virginicum L. var. fraseri (Spach) Fern.; Triadenum virginicum (L.) Raf. ssp. fraseri (Spach) J. Gillett; T. virginicum (L.) Raf. var. fraseri (Spach) Cooperrider • CT, MA, ME, NH, VT; becoming rare in southern New England. Shorelines, wetland edges, swamps. Triadenum fraseri is a northern sister species of T. virginicum.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Triadenum virginicum:
 - sepals 5-8 mm long and pointed (often sharply so) at the apex, and petals 8-10 mm long (vs. T. fraseri, with sepals 3-5 mm long, blunt at the apex, and petals 5-8 mm long).
 
Synonyms
- Elodea fraseri Spach
 - Hypericum virginicum L. var. fraseri (Spach) Fern.
 - Triadenum virginicum ssp. fraseri (Spach) J. Gillett
 - Triadenum virginicum var. fraseri (Spach) Cooperrider