Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Fendler's Meadow-rue
Thalictrum fendleri
Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)

Fendler's -Rue is delicate, very common, and often unnoticed. It grows to two or three feet tall and frequently appears in large dappled patches in forests and . It is one of the most common understory plants. The delicately scalloped leaves of Meadowrue are similar to Columbine's leaves but are considerably smaller. The leaves have a distinct pleasant smell when crushed. Meadowrue's male flowers lack petals and thus attract little attention, but a close look at the flowers reveals very unusual, attractive tassel-like giving the plant a festive atmosphere. Linnaeus named this in 1753. "Thalictrum" is of ancient and unknown Greek origin. George Engelmann named this species in 1849, probably from a specimen collected by the renowned collector, Augustus Fendler, near Santa Fe in 1846.


©2008 Keir Morse

Description

plants with erect stems to three feet tall, hairy or not. , divided two to four times into three gently scalloped relatively , hairy or not. Flowers . of female flowers ~ 1/5" long, of male ~ 1/15" long. No petals. ia an .

Field Marks

Tall, graceful plant with small, round, gently scalloped leaves and numerous hanging flowers with no petals.

© Al Schneider

stamen -- the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower; The stamen consists of an anther supported by a filament.

meadow -- Large grass and wildflower filled area with few, if any, trees.

achene -- a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. For example, a rose hip holds a few achenes.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

orbicular -- Circular or nearly circular in outline.

Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom.

fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants. It is formed from the ovary after flowering.

leaflets -- Each little leaf-like thing in a compound leaf is a leaflet.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

dioecious -- When male and female reproductive structures are on separate plants.

leaves alternate along the main stem and are attached singly.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.