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narcissus anemone, narcissus-flower anemone

desert anemone, desert windflower, tuber anemone

Aerial shoots

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

10-30(-40) cm, from caudex-like tubers, tubers ascending to vertical.

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.

1-3(-5), 1-2-ternate;

petiole 5-7 cm;

terminal leaflet sessile, rarely petiolulate, irregularly oblanceolate, (1.5-)2-3(-3.5) × 1-2(-2.5) cm, base narrowly cuneate, margins incised to dissected on distal 2/3, apex broadly acute, surfaces nearly glabrous;

lateral leaflets 1-2x-parted and/or -lobed; ultimate lobes 4-8(-12) 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.

2-3(-5)-flowered cymes or flowers solitary;

peduncle proximally nearly glabrous, distally villous;

involucral bracts primarily 3, (1-)2-tiered, simple, ±similar to basal leaves, pinnatifid, 1.5-5.5 cm (primary involucral bracts 2-5.5 cm, secondary involucral bracts 1.5-3.5 cm), bases distinct, broadly to narrowly cuneate to clasping, margins irregularly serrulate and pinnatifid on ca. distal 1/2, apex narrowly acute to acuminate, surfaces thinly pilose;

segments primarily 3, linear to pinnatifid;

lateral segments 1-2x-parted and/or -lobed; ultimate lobes 1.5-2.5 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 8-10, pink to white, linear-oblong, 10-14(-20) × (2-)3-5(-6) mm, sparsely hairy;

stamens 50-60.

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 orbiculate, flat, 2.5-3.5 × 2-2.5 mm, not winged, densely villous;

beak straight, ca. 1.5 mm, minutely puberulous, not plumose.

Heads of achenes

spheric;

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

fusiform;

pedicel (5-)7-15(-22) cm.

2n

=14.

=16.

Anemone narcissiflora

Anemone tuberosa

Phenology Flowering spring (Apr–May).
Habitat Rocky slopes, streamsides
Elevation 800-2500 m (2600-8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CO; WY; BC; NT; YT; Eurasia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; TX; UT; n Mexico
[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.)

The tuberous anemones in North America (A. tuberosa, A. edwardsiana, A. okennonii, A. berlandieri, and A. caroliniana) are closely related to each other and to the South American species A. decapetala Arduino, A. triternata Vahl, A. cicutifolia I.M. Johnston, and A. sphenophylla Poeppig. Particularly useful characters in identifying North American plants are number of tiers of involucral bracts, presence or absence of heterophylly between basal leaves and involucral bracts, and presence or absence of rhizomes. The current treatment of this group primarily follows C. S. Keener and B. E. Dutton (1994), who included a discussion of the relationships among its members. For a cytotaxonomic discussion of most members of this group, see C. Joseph and M. Heimburger (1966).

(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
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. quinquefolia, A. richardsonii, A. virginiana
Subordinate taxa
A. narcissiflora var. monantha, A. narcissiflora var. villosissima, A. narcissiflora var. zephyra
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 542. (1753) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 29: 151. (1902)
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