Thalictrum pubescens |
Thalictrum polycarpum |
|
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King-of-the-meadow, late meadow-rue, meadow-weed, muskrat-weed, pigamon pubescent, tall meadow-rue |
many fruit meadowrue, tall western meadow-rue |
|
Roots | fibrous. |
|
Stems | erect, coarse, 50-300 cm. |
erect, 6-18(-20) dm, glabrous. |
Leaves | 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. |
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. |
Inflorescences | racemes or panicles to corymbs, apically ± rounded, many flowered; peduncles and pedicels often pubescent. |
terminal, panicles, many flowered. |
Flowers | 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. |
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. |
Achenes | 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. |
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. |
2n | = 126. |
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Thalictrum pubescens |
Thalictrum polycarpum |
|
Phenology | Flowering late spring–summer (mid Jun-early Aug). | Flowering mid-late spring (Apr–Jun). |
Habitat | Full sun to deep shade, rich woods, low thickets, swamps, wet meadows, and stream banks | Streamsides and other moist places, forests, and open woodlands |
Elevation | 15-1500 m (0-4900 ft) | 600-3100 m (2000-10200 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; GA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MS; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM
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CA; NV; OR; UT; Mexico (Baja California)
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Discussion | 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.) |
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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Thalictrum > sect. Leucocoma | Ranunculaceae > Thalictrum > sect. Heterogamia |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | T. carolinianum var. subpubescens, T. polygamum, T. polygamum var. hebecarpum, T. polygamum var. intermedium, T. polygamum var. pubescens, T. pubescens var. hebecarpum | T. fendleri var. polycarpum |
Name authority | Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 388. 1814, not T. pubescens Schleicher ex de Candolle (1817) | (Torrey) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 14: 288. (1879) |
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