Flora of North America species comparison

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Achlys triphylla

Achlys californica

achlys, deer's foot, deer-foot, sweet-after-death, vanilla-leaf

California deer foot, deer's-foot, sweet after death, vanilla leaf
Habit Plants, 2-4 dm. Plants, 3-5 dm.
Leaves

petiole 1-3 cm.

petiole 1-3 cm.
Inflorescences

2.5-5 cm excluding peduncle.

2.8-5.8 cm excluding peduncle.
Flowers

stamens 3-4 mm;

ovaries 1-1.5 mm.

stamens 3.8-6 mm;

ovaries 1.5-2 mm.
Central

leaflet blade 4-11 × 4-8 cm, proximal margins entire, distal margins (1-)3-4(-8)-lobed.

leaflet blade ca. 7-16 × 8-17 cm, proximal margins entire, distal margins (3-)6-9(-12)-lobed.
Follicles

red-purple, 3-4.5 mm.

brown, 3.5-5 mm.
2n

= 12.

= 24.

Achlys triphylla

Achlys californica
Phenology Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul). Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul).
Habitat Mountain regions in Cascade Range and Coast Range of California in coniferous forests Coastal and mountainous regions, Sequoia sempervirens and Pseudotsuga menziesii forests
Elevation 0-1500 m (0-4900 ft) 0-1200 m (0-3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Medicinally, Native Americans used preparations of the leaves of Achlys triphylla to treat tuberculosis, for a hair wash, and as an emetic (D. E. Moermann 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Triploid plants have been reported from one locality in central Washington and from a site in northwestern California.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Berberidaceae > Achlys Berberidaceae > Achlys
Sibling taxa
A. californica
A. triphylla
Synonyms Leontice triphylla
Name authority (Smith) de Candolle: Syst. Nat. 2: 35. (1821) Fukuda & H. G. Baker: Taxon 19: 341. (1970)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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