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Anemone patens var. wolfgangiana - (image 1 of 8)

Taxonomy

Family: Ranunculaceae

Some now place this plant in a different genus and refer to it as Pulsatilla patens (L.) P. Mill. ssp. multifida (Pritz.) Zamels.

Habitat

Dry hill prairies and barrens

Associates

Amorpha canescens, Andropogon scoparius, Anemona cylindrica, Bouteloua curtipendula, Geum triflorum, Lithospermum incisum, Viola pedata

Distribution

AK south to WA and TX, east to WI and IL.

Morphology

Hairy perennial to 40 cm. Basal leaves basal long-petioled, deeply palmately divided, kidney-shaped in outline. Involucral leaves sessile, in a whorl beneath the flower. Single flower appearing before basal leaves; sepals 5-7, white to blue or purple, 2.5 to 3.5 cm, villous on the back. Style plumose, attached to achene at maturity.

Notes

Flowers April to May

Wetland Indicator: Upland

The relatively large flowers are among the first to bloom in the spring. This plant, or varieties of it, also occur in Eurasia. The mature fruiting heads resemble Geum triflorum, and both of these plants share the common name of prairie smoke.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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