Thalictrum sparsiflorum Turcz. ex Fisch. & C.A. Mey.
few-flowered meadowrue (fewflower meadow-rue)
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Jamie Fenneman     (Photo ID #26107)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Thalictrum sparsiflorum
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a rhizome; stems erect, slender, 30-100 cm tall, simple or branched above, smooth.
Leaves:
Mostly stem leaves, alternate, the basal and stem leaves stalked, (2-) 3-times 3-parted, the leaflets thin, green and smooth above, paler and glandular-hairy below, circular to egg- or heart-shaped, 10-20 mm long, the tips round-toothed; upper stem leaves unstalked.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of few-flowered, axillary racemes, the bracts leaf-like, large, the flowers bisexual, the flower stalks erect in flower, curved near tip in fruit; petals absent; sepals 5, whitish or greenish, often purplish-tinged, elliptic, 2-3.5 mm long; stamens 12-20, the filaments whitish, more or less club-shaped, 3-4.5 mm long, the anthers 0.5-0.8 mm long.
Fruits:
Achenes, 6-12, spreading to reflexed, obliquely egg-shaped to half diamond-shaped, outer margin straight, 5-6 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, strongly flattened, minutely glandular-hairy, strongly 3- to 5-veined on each side, stalks 0.3-1.5 mm long; beaks 1-1.5 mm long, straight.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Thalictrum sparsiflorum

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
769 12 2000
Slope Gradient (%)
12 0 60

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

197 72 290
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 2 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
26
Modal BEC Zone Class
BWBS

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BWBS(10), CWH(3), ESSF(4), PP(1), SBS(2), SWB(1)

Habitat and Range

Moist meadows, thickets and forests in the montane zone; frequent in N BC, less frequent S to 53degreeN, amphiberingian, N to AK, YT and NT, E to ON and S to CO, UT, NV and CA; NE Asia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Thalictrum sparsiflorum var. richardsonii (A. Gray) B. Boivin