Enemion biternatum Rafinesque. Common name: Isopyrum, False Rue-anemone. Phenology: (Jan-) Mar-Apr; May. Habitat: Rich forests, either on natural levees with very nutrient rich sediments or on slopes with underlying mafic or calcareous rocks. Distribution: Mainly west of the Appalachians, W. New York, s. Ontario and Minnesota south to Tennessee, ne. Mississippi (Tishomingo County), and Arkansas; disjunct east and south of the Blue Ridge in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, the Florida Panhandle, and s. Alabama. Buckingham, Singhurst, & Paez (2020) discussed its distribution in Texas.
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
Taxonomy Comments: See genus for discussion of generic placement.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Can, Fl2, FNA3, Il, K1, K4, Mi, NS, NY, POWO, Tn, Va, WH3, Xiang et al (2026); = Isopyrum biternatum (Raf.) Torr. & A.Gray — C, Chap3, F, G, GrPl, Mo3, RAB, S, S13, Tx; = n/a — Pa. Basionym: Enemion biternatum Raf. 1820
Links to other floras: = Enemion biternatum - FNA3
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 2
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷Feedback
Horticultural Information
Intro: Delicate, erect perennial found often in dense patches in rich forests, either on natural levees with very nutrient-rich sediments or on slopes with underlying mafic rocks.
Stems: Stems slender, sparingly branched, reddish-tinged, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, petiolate, divided into 3 leaflets up to 1 in. long, these again divided into 3 bluntly rounded lobes; the terminal leaflet is longer-stalked than the 2 lateral leaflets.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers solitary, or in groups of 2-3, on thin stalks from leaf axils; white; consisting of 5 petal-like sepals, several slender stamens with yellow anthers and a few green pistils in the center.
Fruits: Fruit a small cluster of beaked follicles.
Comments:
Height: 8-16 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Delicate, erect perennial found often in dense patches in rich forests, either on natural levees with very nutrient-rich sediments or on slopes with underlying mafic rocks.
stems: Stems slender, sparingly branched, reddish-tinged, smooth.
leaves: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, petiolate, divided into 3 leaflets up to 1 in. long, these again divided into 3 bluntly rounded lobes; the terminal leaflet is longer-stalked than the 2 lateral leaflets.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers solitary, or in groups of 2-3, on thin stalks from leaf axils; white; consisting of 5 petal-like sepals, several slender stamens with yellow anthers and a few green pistils in the center.
fruits: Fruit a small cluster of beaked follicles.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States