Thalictrum fendleri
Thalictrum pubescens
Fendler's meadow-rue
King-of-the-meadow, late meadow-rue, meadow-weed, muskrat-weed, pigamon pubescent, tall meadow-rue
dark brown to ± black (when dry), fibrous.
mostly erect, sometimes reclining, (20-)30-60(-150) cm, glabrous, from rhizomes or branched caudices.
erect, coarse, 50-300 cm.
blade green, (2-)3-4x-ternately compound, membranous;
leaflets obliquely orbiculate or nearly cordate, apically 3-lobed, (5-)10-20 × (6-)8-12(-18) mm wide, lobe margins crenate, surfaces abaxially often glandular.
blade ternately and pinnately decompound;
leaflets light to dark green, cordate or nearly orbiculate to ovate or obovate, apically undivided to 2-3(-5)-lobed or -toothed, 11-68 × 5-70 mm, length 0.8-2.6 times width, membranous to firm, margins scarcely revolute, lobe margins entire, surfaces abaxially pubescent to glabrous.
terminal and axillary, panicles, open and leafy, many flowered.
racemes or panicles to corymbs, apically ± rounded, many flowered;
peduncles and pedicels often pubescent.
sepals whitish or greenish, in staminate flowers ovate to elliptic, 3-5 mm; in pistillate flowers ovate to rhombic or broadly lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm;
filaments deep yellow or purplish, 4-7.5 mm;
anthers 2.2-3.4 mm, apiculate with tip to 0.8 mm;
stigma purplish.
unisexual or bisexual (sometimes bisexual with very few stamens);
sepals 4(-6), white to purplish, elliptic-rounded, 2-3.5 mm;
filaments ascending, white to purplish, filiform to distinctly clavate, 1.5-7 mm, usually rigid;
anthers 0.5-1.5(-2.1) mm, usually blunt or only slightly apiculate.
7-11(-14), not reflexed, sessile to short-stipitate;
stipe 0-2 mm;
body oblanceolate to obliquely obovate-elliptic, strongly laterally compressed, (5-)9(-11) mm, glandular or glabrous, 3-4(-5)-veined on each side, veins ± parallel, converging toward ends (rarely branched or sinuous), not anastomosing-reticulate;
beak 1.5-4 mm.
numerous, sessile to stipitate;
stipe 0.5-1.5(-2.4) mm;
body ellipsoid, 3-5 mm, prominently veined, usually pubescent;
beak usually persistent, straight or coiled distally, 0.6-2.5 mm, about 1/2 length of achene body.
= 126.
Thalictrum fendleri
Thalictrum pubescens
The stems and achenes of Thalictrum fendleri are often purplish.
Decoctions prepared from the roots of Thalictrum fendleri were used medicinally by Native Americans to cure colds and gonorrhea, and in ceremonies (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The ovaries change from white to purplish, becoming light green, then darker green, and finally brown as fruits mature.
Because of the polymorphic nature of Thalictrum pubescens, a proliferation of names for minor morphologic variants has resulted. Field studies (M. Park 1992) have shown that too much morphologic variation occurs within populations to support the recognition of previously described taxa. Plants in New England and northeastern Canada often have a corymbose inflorescence and longer filaments and achene beaks.
This species is often incorrectly treated in floras as T. polygamum Sprengel, an invalid name.
The Iroquois used Thalictrum pubescens medicinally a a wash for head and neck, to stop nosebleeds, and to treat gall (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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