Thalictrum thalictroides

Illustrator: John Myers

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Roots black, tuberous. Stems erect, scapose, 10-30 cm, glabrous. Leaves basal; petiole 10-30 cm. Leaf blade 2×-ternately compound; leaflets widely ovate or obovate to nearly rotund, apically 3-lobed, 8-30 mm wide, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences umbels or flowers solitary, (1-)3-6-flowered; involucral bracts usually 3-foliolate, petiolate and opposite, or sessile with leaflets appearing to be whorls of 6 petiolate leaves, otherwise similar to basal leaves. Flowers: sepals not caducous, white to pinkish, showy, elliptic to obovate, 5-18 mm, longer than stamens; filaments narrowly clavate, 3-4 mm; anthers 0.4-0.7 mm. Achenes (4-)8-12(-15), short-stipitate; stipe 0.1-0.4 mm; body ovoid to fusiform, 3-4.5 mm, prominently 8-10-veined.

Phenology: Flowering spring (Mar–Jun).
Habitat: Deciduous woods, banks, and thickets
Elevation: 0-300 m

Distribution

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Ont., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

In Thalictrum, T. thalictroides is unique in having umbelliform inflorescences and is therefore easy to identify. Based on this one distinction, many botanists still place it in the genus Anemonella. The leaflets, flowers, and fruits, however, are not unlike those of Thalictrum.

The Cherokee used infusions prepared from the roots of Thalictrum thalictroides to treat diarrhea and vomiting (D. E. Moerman 1986).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.