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narcissus anemone, narcissus-flower anemone

anémone à cinq folioles, blue windflower, little mountain anemone, Lyall's anemone, nightcaps, wood anemone, wood windflower

Aerial shoots

7-60 cm, from caudices, caudices ascending to vertical.

5-30 cm, from rhizomes, rhizomes primarily horizontal.

Basal leaves

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 4-25 cm;

terminal leaflet ± sessile, rhombic to oblanceolate or obliquely oblanceolate, 1-4.5 × 1.4-3.7 cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins crenate-serrate, serrate, occasionally dentate or incised on distal 1/3-1/2, apex acuminate to obtuse, surfaces glabrous or puberulous to pilose;

lateral leaflets unlobed or 1x-lobed or -parted; ultimate lobes 4-15 mm wide.

Inflorescences

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 puberulous, villous, or glabrous;

involucral bracts 3, 1-tiered, ternate, ±similar to basal leaves, bases distinct;

terminal leaflet petiolulate or sessile, rhombic to oblanceolate or obliquely oblanceolate, 1-5(-5.5) × 0.5-3 cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins crenate to serrate, serrate to dentate, occasionally incised on distal 1/3-1/2, apex acuminate to acute, surfaces glabrous or puberulous to pilose;

lateral leaflets unlobed or 1x-lobed or -parted, ultimate lobes 5-20 mm wide.

Flowers

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 (4-)5(-6), white, rarely pink, or abaxially white or tinged pink or blue and adaxially white, oblong to ovate, 6-25 × 4-8 mm, glabrous;

stamens 30-60.

Achenes

body ellipsoid to ovate, flat, 5-9 × (3-)4-6 mm, winged, glabrous;

beak curved to recurved, 0.8-1.5 mm, glabrous.

body ellipsoid or ovoid, 2.5-4.5 × 1-1.5 mm, not winged, puberulous or villous;

beak straight to curved, rarely recurved, 0.5-2 mm, ±glabrous to sparsely puberulous, not plumose.

Heads of achenes

spheric;

pedicel (4.5-)5-14(-18.5) cm.

spheric or nearly so;

pedicel 1-6(-8) cm.

2n

=14.

Anemone narcissiflora

Anemone quinquefolia

Distribution
from FNA
AK; CO; WY; BC; NT; YT; Eurasia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; ND; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; AB; MB; NB; NS; ON; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Anemone quinquefolia and its relatives (A. grayi, A. lancifolia, A. lyallii, A. oregana, and A. piperi) are remarkably similar morphologically. Consideration of the sizes of various plant parts, degree of lobing of lateral leaflets, and orientation of the rhizome are particularly critical in distinguishing these species. This species complex also shares close morphologic affinities with both European (e.g., A. nemorosa Linnaeus) and Asian (e.g., A. altaica Fischer ex Ledebour) plants.

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

Key
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
1. Achene body 3–4.5 mm; lateral leaflets of basal leaves frequently 1×-lobed or -parted.
var. quinquefolia
1. Achene body 2.5–3 mm; lateral leaflets of basal leaves unlobed or occasionally 1×-lobed.
var. minima
Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Anemone Ranunculaceae > Anemone
Sibling taxa
A. acutiloba, A. americana, A. berlandieri, A. canadensis, A. caroliniana, A. cylindrica, A. deltoidea, A. drummondii, A. edwardsiana, A. grayi, A. lancifolia, A. lyallii, A. multiceps, A. multifida, A. occidentalis, A. okennonii, A. oregana, A. parviflora, A. patens, A. piperi, A. quinquefolia, A. richardsonii, A. tuberosa, A. virginiana
A. acutiloba, A. americana, A. berlandieri, A. canadensis, A. caroliniana, A. cylindrica, A. deltoidea, A. drummondii, A. edwardsiana, A. grayi, A. lancifolia, A. lyallii, A. multiceps, A. multifida, A. narcissiflora, A. occidentalis, A. okennonii, A. oregana, A. parviflora, A. patens, A. piperi, A. richardsonii, A. tuberosa, A. virginiana
Subordinate taxa
A. narcissiflora var. monantha, A. narcissiflora var. villosissima, A. narcissiflora var. zephyra
A. quinquefolia var. minima, A. quinquefolia var. quinquefolia
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 542. (1753) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 541. (1753)
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