Thalictrum thalictroides

Thalictrum thalictroides or Anemonella thalictroides, the rue anemone, is a herbaceous perennial native to woodland in eastern North America. It has white or pink flowers surrounded by a whorl of leaflets and blooms in spring.

Description

Thalictrum thalictroides is a hairless plant growing from tuberous roots, with upright 10–30 cm tall, stems which end with flowers. The basal leaves have 10 to 30 cm long petioles and leaf blades that are 2×-ternately compound. The leaflets are widely rounded in shape and the ends are three lobed.

It flowers in early spring and the flowers are borne singularly, or in umbel-like inflorescences with 3 to 6 flowers. The flowers have short stems that hold the fully opened flowers above the foliage. The involucral bracts are 3-foliolate, and shaped like the leaves. The showy rounded flowers have many yellow stamens in the middle, and a cup of white to pinkish-lavender sepals.

In late spring, 3 to 4.5 mm long, ovoid to fusiform shaped fruits called achenes are released. The green achenes have 8 to 10 prominent veins and become dark brown when ripe.