Xanthorhiza simplicissima - (image 1 of 3)
Taxonomy
Family: Ranunculaceae
Synonymous with X. apiifolia, in reference to the similarity of the foliage to that of celery
Habitat
Moist woods, primarily in mountains.
Associates
Distribution
Southern NY to PA and KY, south to SC, western FL, and AL.
Morphology
Low woody shrub; wood yellow; stems 30-50 cm; leaves long-petiolate, pinnately compound; leaflets mostly 5, lance ovate to broadly ovate, acute or acuminate, toothed to deeply cleft; inflorescences 5-12 cm, with small, purple-brown flowers; petals absent; sepals lanceolate, broadly clawed, 3 mm, spreading; stamens and staminodes, 1 mm; follicles thin-walled, pale brown, sparsely hairy.
Notes
Flowers April
Wetland indicator: FACW
Occasionally cultivated as a groundcover for shady areas with moist soil. The roots have been used to make a yellow dye.
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
USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov).
National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
|
Michael Hough © 2018 |