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Thalictrum thalictroides (Linnaeus) A.J. Eames & B. Boivin. Section: Anemonella. Common name: Rue-anemone, Windflower, Wind-rue. Phenology: Mar-Jun. Habitat: Moist forests. Distribution: ME, MN, and KS, south to Panhandle FL, MS, AR, and OK.

ID notes: Isopyrum biternatum is somewhat superficially similar to the more common and widespread (in the Flora area) Thalictrum thalictroides, with which it also sometimes grows, but can be distinguished by the following characters: stem leaves 1-4 and alternate (vs. stem leaves 2 and opposite), fruit an aggregate of follicles (vs. fruit an aggregate of achenes), petaloid sepals 5 (vs. 5-10, usually some at least of the flowers on a plant with 6 or more), leaflets deeply lobed, at least some of the leaflets on a plant with sinuses at least 1/3 as long as the leaflet (vs. leaflets shallowly lobed, the notches < 2 mm long).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy : = Ar, Can, Fl2, FNA3, K4, Mi, NE, NS, NY, Pa, RAB, Tn, Va, W, WH3, WV; = Anemonella thalictroides (L.) Spach — C, F, G, GrPl, Il, POWO, Tat; = Syndesmon thalictroides (L.) Hoffmanns. ex Britton — S, S13; Anemone thalictroides Linnaeus. Basionym: Anemone thalictroides L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Thalictrum thalictroides - FNA3

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily : 2

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image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Thalictrum thalictroides, Nine Times Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, Pickens County, South Carolina 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Delicate, erect perennial of moist upland forests and well-drained floodplain forests; in the Coastal Plain, somewhat restricted to base-rich soils.

Stems: Stems slender, smooth and often tinged with purple.

Leaves: Leaves few, 2-3 times divided into 3, the leaflets bluntly 3-toothed; green and smooth above, pale beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers 1-6 in a small terminal umbel, white, 3/4 in. wide, consisting of 6-10 white (tinged pink) petal-like sepals surrounding a small, green compound ovary (5-15 carpels) and multiple stamens; sepals drop early.

Fruits: Fruit a cluster of tiny achenes.

Comments:

Height: 4-8 in.

plant sale text: Windflower bears small white flowers over a period of weeks in early spring. Each dainty flower has 5 to 10 white petal-like sepals, sometimes with a tinge of pink on their undersides. Its upward-facing flowers and delicate 3-lobed foliage make a beautiful combination. This southeastern native perennial is easy to grow and long-lived when planted in soil that is moist and humusy but well-drained. Partial shade is ideal. This species thrives in the shade of deciduous trees. Windflower is a spring ephemeral wildflower and goes dormant by midsummer.

bloom table text:

description: Delicate, erect perennial of moist upland forests and well-drained floodplain forests; in the Coastal Plain, somewhat restricted to base-rich soils.

stems: Stems slender, smooth and often tinged with purple.

leaves: Leaves few, 2-3 times divided into 3, the leaflets bluntly 3-toothed; green and smooth above, pale beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers 1-6 in a small terminal umbel, white, 3/4 in. wide, consisting of 6-10 white (tinged pink) petal-like sepals surrounding a small, green compound ovary (5-15 carpels) and multiple stamens; sepals drop early.

fruits: Fruit a cluster of tiny achenes.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern United States



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