Thalictrum occidentale A. Gray
western meadowrue (western meadow-rue)
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
western meadowrue (western meadow-rue)
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Dioecious perennial herb from creeping, scaly rhizome and thin and fibrous roots; stems erect, 30-100 cm tall, simple or branched, smooth.
Leaves:
Mostly stem leaves, alternate, with flaring stipular sheaths, the basal and stem leaves stalked, 3- to 4-times 3-parted, the leaflets smooth to glandular, circular to egg- or wedge-shaped or heart-shaped, 10-30 mm wide, tips 3-lobed, the lobe margins round-toothed.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a many-flowered, open, terminal panicle, the lower bracts like reduced leaves, the upper small, simple; flowers unisexual, male and female flowers on separate plants; flower stalks about equal in length; petals absent; sepals usually 4 (-6), greenish-whitish to purplish-tinged, egg-shaped, 3.5-4.5 mm long in male flowers, 1.5-2 mm long in female flowers; stamens 15-30, the filaments purplish, threadlike, 4-10 mm long, the anthers 1.5-4 mm long, sharp-pointed; stigmas often purplish.
Fruits:
Achenes, 6-9, spreading to bent back, spindle-shaped, 6-9 mm long, glandular, strongly 3-veined on each side, stalks 0.4-1.2 mm long; beaks 3-4.5 mm long.
Notes:
A highly variable species, without sufficiently differentiated phases.
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.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Thalictrum occidentale
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)
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) |
1286 | 0 | 2750 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
22 | -2 | 230 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
174 | 0 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
4 | 0 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
C | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
5146 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
ESSF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
AT(39), BAFA(9), BG(2), BWBS(191), CDF(2), CMA(2), CWH(44), ESSF(1801), ICH(533), IDF(441), IMA(2), MH(3), MS(679), PP(16), SBPS(113), SBS(925), SWB(61) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Moist to mesic meadows, thickets, clearings and open forests from the lowland to subalpine zones; common throughout BC except Queen Charlotte Islands, N Vancouver Island and the adjacent coast; N to SE AK, YT and NT, E to SK and S to CO, UT and N CA.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Thalictrum occidentale var. breitungii
Thalictrum occidentale var. macounii B. Boivin
Thalictrum occidentale var. occidentale A. Gray