Thalictrum polycarpum
many fruit meadowrue, tall western meadow-rue
fibrous.
erect, 6-18(-20) dm, glabrous.
blade 3-4x-ternately compound;
leaflets orbiculate to obovate, apically 3-cleft or 3-parted, divisions undivided or shallowly 3-lobed, 15-40 mm wide, lobes rounded or somewhat acute, surfaces glabrous or glandular.
terminal, panicles, many flowered.
sepals whitish to purplish, elliptic to ovate or lanceolate, 2-4(-5) mm;
filaments whitish to pinkish, 3-6 mm;
anthers (1.4-)2-4 mm, distinctly apiculate.
10-15, spreading in globose heads, not reflexed, sessile or nearly so;
stipe 0-0.6 mm;
body nearly globose to obovoid to obliquely obovate, laterally compressed, somewhat inflated and papery, 4-7(-8) mm, glabrous to glandular, often with 1 or 2 primary veins on each side, veins sinuous, branched, anastomosing-reticulate;
beak 2-4 mm.
Thalictrum polycarpum
Thalictrum polycarpum is the only species in sect. Heterogamia with anastomosing-reticulate veins on the achene.
The stems and roots of Thalictrum polycarpum are considered poisonous when ingested by humans or cattle; Native Americans used this species medicinally as a wash for headaches, as an applications for sprains, and as a universal charm and panacea (D. E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
