Anemone tuberosa Rydb.

Taxonomy and Common Names

Anemone tuberosa, commonly known as desert anemone or tuber anemone, is a herbaceous flowering plant species in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae.

Plant Height and Tuber Structure

Individuals grow 10 to 30 cm tall, occasionally reaching up to 40 cm (16 inches), growing from a woody-textured tuber that resembles a caudex in shape.

Basal Leaf Count and Arrangement

Each plant produces 1 to 3 basal leaves, which are 1 to 2 times ternate.

Basal Leaf Morphology

These few basal leaves have long petioles, are deeply divided into 3 parts, and their leaflets lack stems, or rarely have a small stalk.

Flowering Period

Flowering occurs from early to late spring.

Sepal Characteristics

Each flower is made up of 8 to 10 sepals, which are typically white or pink, and measure 10 to 14 mm (0.39 to 0.55 inches) long.

Flower Arrangement

Each plant produces one peduncle that holds either a single solitary flower, or a cyme with 2 to 5 flowers.

Fruit Head Structure

Fruits form in fusiform-shaped heads, borne on pedicels 7 to 20 cm (2.8 to 7.9 inches) long.

Achene Size

The fruits are achenes, which measure 2.5 to 3.5 mm (0.098 to 0.138 inches) long and 2 to 2.5 mm (0.079 to 0.098 inches) wide.

Achene Morphology

They have a rounded outline and a flattened shape, are densely woolly, not winged, and bear straight 1.5 mm (0.059 inch) long beaks.

Native Range

Anemone tuberosa is native to southern, central, and western North America.

Detailed Distribution

It occurs most commonly in Nevada, New Mexico, and northern Mexico, but ranges as far west as California and as far east as Texas.

Habitat

This spring-flowering species grows on rocky slopes and along stream banks.

Species Complex Affiliation

Anemone tuberosa is part of a species complex that contains 6 to 9 species native to the southwestern and central United States, extending south to South America.

Complex Tuber Trait

Most species in this complex produce tubers, or caudex-like tubers.