Anemonastrum narcissiflorum (L.) Holub

Growth Form

Anemonastrum narcissiflorum (L.) Holub is a perennial plant that grows between 7 and 60 cm (2+3⁄4 to 23+1⁄2 inches) tall from a woody-like perennial base called a caudex.

Flowering Season

Its flowering season runs from spring to mid summer, and often continues into late summer.

Basal Leaf Arrangement

This species produces 3 to 10 basal leaves that are ternate, meaning they are divided into three leaflets.

Leaf Morphology

The leaves range in shape from rounded to rounded triangular, and grow on petioles 4 to 20 millimetres (5⁄32-to-25⁄32-inch) long.

Flower Clustering

Flowers form in umbel clusters of 2 to 8 flowers, though they often appear as single flowers.

Inflorescence Bracts

The inflorescence holds 3 leaf-like bracts that look similar to the plant's basal leaves, but are simpler, much smaller in size, and pinnatifid in shape.

Flower Sepals

Flowers do not have true petals; instead they have 5 to 9 petal-like sepals that can be white, blue-tinted white, or yellow.

Flower Stamens

Flowers typically contain 40 to 80 stamens, and can have up to 100 total.

Fruit Head Arrangement

After flowering, the plant produces fruits arranged in rounded heads, held on pedicels 5 to 14 centimetres (2 to 5+1⁄2-inch) long.

Achene Shape

The mature fruits, called achenes, are ellipsoid to ovate in outline and flat in shape.

Achene Size

They measure 5 to 9 millimetres (3⁄16 to 11⁄32 in) long and 4 to 6 millimetres (5⁄32 to 1⁄4 in) wide.

Achene Surface and Beak

The achenes are winged, hairless, and have curved or recurved beaks that are 0.8 to 1.5 millimetres (0.031 to 0.059-inch) long.

Native Distribution

Anemonastrum narcissiflorum is native to northwestern North America and Eurasia.

Habitat Range

It can be found growing in a variety of habitats, including high mountain alpine grasslands, thickets, moist grassy meadows, tundra, open woods, along roadsides, and in pastures.