Anemone multifida
Anemone narcissiflora
anémone multifide, cliff anemone, cut-leaf anemone, cut-leaf windflower, globe anemone, Pacific anemone
narcissus anemone, narcissus-flower anemone
10-70 cm, from caudices, caudices ascending to vertical.
7-60 cm, from caudices, caudices ascending to vertical.
3-6(-10), 1-2-ternate;
petiole (2-)4-10(-14) cm;
terminal leaflet petiolulate to ±sessile, broadly and irregularly rhombic to obovate, (1.5-)2.5-4.5(-5.5) × (1-)3-10 cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins incised on distal 1/3, apex broadly acute to nearly obtuse;
surfaces abaxially villous-silky, hispid to villous, or sparsely long-pilose, adaxially glabrous, nearly glabrous, villous-silky, or hispid to villous;
lateral leaflets (2-)3x-parted; ultimate segments (1.5-)2-3.5(-5) mm wide.
3-10, ternate;
petiole (2-)4-20 cm;
terminal leaflet ±sessile, obtriangular to oblanceolate, (2.5-)3-6(-9) × 2-10 cm, base narrowly cuneate to cuneate, margins incised (sometimes with few serrate teeth) on distal 1/3, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous or puberulous to villous or pilose;
lateral leaflets 1-3x-parted and -lobed; ultimate lobes 3-10 mm wide.
2-7-flowered cymes or flowers solitary;
peduncle villous, pilose, or hispid to villous;
involucral bracts usually 3-5, occasionally 2 in secondary involucres, 1-2-tiered, ternate, occasionally incompletely ternate, ±similar to basal leaves, greatly reduced, bases distinct;
terminal leaflet petiolulate to ±sessile, broadly and irregularly rhombic to obovate, (1.5-)3-4(-5) × 0.5-1(-2) cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins incised on distal 1/3, apex broadly acute to nearly obtuse, surfaces abaxially hispid to villous, villous-silky, or sparsely long-pilose, adaxially glabrous, nearly glabrous, hispid to villous, or villous-silky;
lateral leaflets (2-)3x-parted or -lobed, lobes frequently unequal; ultimate lobes 1.5-3(-4.3) mm wide.
2-8-flowered umbels or flowers solitary;
peduncle puberulous to villous or pilose to nearly glabrous;
involucral bracts (2-)3, 1-tiered, simple, greatly reduced, otherwise similar to basal leaves, obtriangular, distally 3-cleft and pinnatifid, (1-)1.5-5(-5.5) cm, bases clasping, ±connate, margins incised on distal 1/3, apex acuminate-acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous or puberulous to villous or pilose;
segments primarily 3, subulate or narrowly obtriangular;
lateral segments unlobed or 2-3x-parted and -lobed; ultimate lobes 3-10 mm wide.
sepals 5-9, green to yellow, blue, purple, red, or occasionally white, or abaxially blue, red, yellow and red, or purple, or tinged purple, adaxially white, yellow, yellow and red, blue, or tinged purple, ovate to oblong, 5-17 × (3.5-)5-7(-9) mm, abaxially hairy, adaxially glabrous;
stamens 50-80.
sepals 5-9, white or yellow, or abaxially white, tinged blue, white, or blue, and adaxially white, ovate to rhombic or obovate, 8-20 × 5-13(-15) mm, glabrous;
stamens 40-80(-100).
body irregularly ellipsoid or elliptic, flat, 3-4 × 1.5-2 mm, not winged, tomentose, woolly, or villous;
beak ±straight, distally recurved or strongly hooked, 1-6 mm, glabrous.
body ellipsoid to ovate, flat, 5-9 × (3-)4-6 mm, winged, glabrous;
beak curved to recurved, 0.8-1.5 mm, glabrous.
spheric;
pedicel 6-15(-23) cm.
spheric;
pedicel (4.5-)5-14(-18.5) cm.
=14.
Anemone multifida
Anemone narcissiflora
Varieties 4 (4 in the flora).
G.Boraiah and M.Heimburger (1964) conducted an extensive cytotaxonomic analysis of this wide-ranging and extremely variable species and its relatives. The present treatment takes a broader view of the species (and its variation) and recognizes fewer entities. In addition, Anemone tetonensis and A. stylosa, plants treated as closely related species by G.Boraiah and M.Heimburger, are treated here as varieties of A. multifida.
Early-season plants of Anemone multifida var. multifida have solitary flowers and will key to var. saxicola. Anemone multifida var. tetonensis and especially var. saxicola might be based on characteristics that are influenced primarily by environment; further study is warranted.
Native Americans used Anemone multifida (no varieties specified) medicinally as an antirheumatic, cold remedy, nosebleed cure, and general panacea, as well as a means of killing lice and fleas (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties ca. 12 (3 in the flora).
J. Jalas (1988), W. Greuter (1989), W. Greuter et al. (1989), J. Jalas and J. Suominen (1989), and T. G. Tutin et al. (1993+, vol. 1) have recently used the name Anemone narcissifolia Linnaeus because they considered Anemone narcissiflora an illegitimate name. B. E. Dutton et al. (1995) recently proposed to conserve the orthography of Anemone narcissiflora, and the authors of this treatment ollow 14A.1 of the Code, which recommends following "existing usage as far as possible pending the General Committee's recommendation on the proposal" (W. Greuter et al. 1994).
The taxonomy of this highly variable, widespread species is extremely controversial. The conservative approach taken here most closely approximates S.L. Welsh's (1974) treatment for the Alaskan varieties. E. Hultén's discussion (1941-1950, vol. 4, pp. 735-736) of local races and the variation within this species, however, clearly illustrates the need for a thorough biosystematic investigation. Recognition of about 12 varieties is in light of S. V. Juzepczuk's (1970) work; however, he elevated local races to specific rank in his treatment.
The Aleuts used Anemone narcissiflora (no varieties specified) medicinally as an antihemorrhagic (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Flowers in cymes; involucral bracts 2-tiered. | → 2 |
1. Flowers solitary; involucral bracts 1-tiered. | → 5 |
2. Beak straight. | → 3 |
2. Beak recurved or hooked. | → 4 |
3. Aerial shoots (30–)40–70 cm; flowers (2–)5–7; bracts silky; sepals ovate or oblong. | var. multifida |
3. Aerial shoots (10–)20–40 cm; flowers (1–)2–3; bracts villous; sepals elliptic. | var. saxicola |
4. Beak recurved. | var. tetonensis |
4. Beak hooked. | var. stylosa |
5. Abaxial color of sepals different from adaxial color. | → 6 |
5. Abaxial color of sepals same as adaxial color. | → 7 |
6. Aerial shoots 20–40 cm; achene beak ± straight. | var. saxicola |
6. Aerial shoots 10–20(–25) cm; achene beak recurved. | var. tetonensis |
7. Sepals blue, purple, or sometimes white; achene beak recurved. | var. tetonensis |
7. Sepals purple to red, or green to red; achene beak strongly hooked distally. | var. stylosa |
1. Lateral segments of involucral bracts lobed; petiole of basal leaves 15–20 cm; inflorescences umbels; stamens 60–80(–100). | var. villosissima |
1. Lateral segments of involucral bracts unlobed; petiole of basal leaves (2–)4–10 cm; inflorescences umbels or flowers solitary; stamens 40–60. | → 2 |
2. Sepals (when fresh) white or abaxially white or blue and adaxially white (drying yellow); body of achenes 6–9 mm. | var. monantha |
2. Sepals (when fresh) yellow; body of achenes ca. 5 mm. | var. zephyra |
- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
CalFlora, CalPhotos, 
Flora NW, 
Go Botany, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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