Anemone narcissiflora
Anemone lyallii
narcissus anemone, narcissus-flower anemone
little mountain anemone, little mountain thimbleweed, Lyall's anemone, Lyall's windflower
7-60 cm, from caudices, caudices ascending to vertical.
5-30(-40) cm, from rhizomes, rhizomes horizontal.
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.
0-1, ternate;
petiole 5-8 cm;
terminal leaflet sessile to petiolulate, ovate to oblanceolate, (1-)1.5-3(-4) × (0.4-)0.7-1.5(-2) cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins serrate to crenate on distal 1/2-2/3, apex acuminate to narrowly acute, rarely obtuse, surfaces glabrous, rarely puberulous;
lateral leaflets unlobed or occasionally nearly lobed.
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.
1-flowered;
peduncle distally puberulous or nearly glabrous throughout;
involucral bracts 3, 1-tiered, ternate, ±similar to basal leaves, bases distinct;
terminal leaflet sessile to petiolulate, ovate to oblanceolate, (1-)1.5-3(-4) × (0.4-)0.7-1.5(-2) cm, bases narrowly cuneate, margins serrate to crenate on distal 1/2-2/3, apex acuminate to narrowly acute, rarely obtuse, surfaces glabrous, rarely puberulous;
lateral leaflets unlobed or occasionally nearly lobed.
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).
sepals 5(-7), white, pink, or sometimes blue-tinged, oblong, rarely narrowly ovate, 3.5-8(-10) × 1.5-3(-3.5) mm, glabrous;
stamens 10-30(-35).
body ellipsoid to ovate, flat, 5-9 × (3-)4-6 mm, winged, glabrous;
beak curved to recurved, 0.8-1.5 mm, glabrous.
body elliptic, flat, 3-4 × 1-1.5 mm, not winged, white-puberulous;
beak subulate, sometimes slightly curved, ca. 0.5 mm, glabrous.
spheric;
pedicel (4.5-)5-14(-18.5) cm.
nearly spheric;
pedicel 1-3(-4) cm in fruit.
=14.
=16.
Anemone narcissiflora
Anemone lyallii
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.)
Anemone lyallii may occasionally intergrade with A. oregana west of the Cascades in northern Oregon (C. L. Hitchcock et al. 1955-1969, vol. 2). The area of probable intergradation should be extended to the southern limits of both species where they are sympatric.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
