Actaea rubifolia (Kearney) Kartesz. Section: Oligocarpae. Common name: Appalachian Black-cohosh. Phenology: Aug-Oct. Habitat: Rich cove forests over calcareous rocks (limestone or dolostone), westwards in shaded sandstone ravines. Distribution: Sw. VA south to e. TN; disjunct in s. IL, w. KY, nw. TN, and nc. AL.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Taxonomy Comments: This species is alleged by Cronquist (1991) to occur in NC, but this is probably an error, based on confusion with Cimicifuga cordifolia Pursh, now considered a form of Actaea racemosa. For this reason, the name Actaea cordifolia used by Compton, Culham, & Jury (1998) does not apply to this taxon. Actaea rubifolia is related to Actaea elata (Nuttall) Prantl of nw. North America.
Synonymy ⓘ: = K4, NS, Va; = Actaea cordifolia DC. — POWO, Compton, Culham, & Jury (1998), misapplied; = Cimicifuga rubifolia Kearney — C, FNA3, Il, S, S13, Tn, W; = n/a — Pa; < Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. — G; >< Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. var. cordifolia (Pursh) Gray — F, misapplied in part. Basionym: Cimicifuga rubifolia Kearney 1897
Links to other floras: = Cimicifuga rubifolia - FNA3
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Heliophily ⓘ: 2
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of rich cove forests over calcareous rocks (limestone or dolostone).
Stems: Stems unbranched, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, petioles grooved and hairy, large and horizontal, 1-2 times ternately divided into 3-9(-17) coarsely and irregularly toothed leaflets, with the terminal leaflet deeply 3- to 5-lobed and most leaflets with notched (heart-shaped) bases.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in terminal cluster of erect racemes, held above the leaves; white, consisting of 5 petal-like, curved sepals that drop early and a bushy cluster of stamens surrounding 1-2 ovaries.
Fruits: Fruit a flattened, oblong follicle
Comments:
Height: 1-4 1/2 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of rich cove forests over calcareous rocks (limestone or dolostone).
stems: Stems unbranched, smooth.
leaves: Leaves alternate, petioles grooved and hairy, large and horizontal, 1-2 times ternately divided into 3-9(-17) coarsely and irregularly toothed leaflets, with the terminal leaflet deeply 3- to 5-lobed and most leaflets with notched (heart-shaped) bases.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in terminal cluster of erect racemes, held above the leaves; white, consisting of 5 petal-like, curved sepals that drop early and a bushy cluster of stamens surrounding 1-2 ovaries.
fruits: Fruit a flattened, oblong follicle
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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