General:
Perennial herb from widespread slender rhizomes and tufts of fibrous roots; stems 1 to several, erect, 50-80 (100) cm tall, unbranched below inflorescence, smooth or becoming so.

Leaves:
Basal leaves simple, long-stalked (to 45 cm), 10-30 cm wide, palmately 5- to 11-lobed, the segments broadly wedge-shaped, margins irregularly cut to sharp-toothed, the veins conspicuous, smooth above, usually somewhat hairy and paler below; stem leaves 1 or 2, alternate, short-stalked, reduced toward top of stem.

Flowers:
Inflorescence many-flowered, terminal, somewhat flat-topped clusters, the stalks of the inflorescence 10-50 cm tall, the bracts small, linear-lanceolate; petals absent; sepals 3-5 (-7), greenish-white, concave-cupped, broadly egg-shaped, clawed, 3-6 mm long; stamens 50-100, the filaments white, 5-10 mm long, the outer ones 15-20 and narrowly spoon-shaped, the inner not dilated; pistils about 15.

Fruits:
Achene-like utricles in a cluster, papery, 3-4 mm long, prominently veined on the 4 angles, unstalked; beaks 0.4-0.8 mm long, curved or hooked.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Trautvetteria caroliniensis var. occidentalis (A. Gray) C.L. Hitchc.