| Thalictrum | |
|---|---|
| Thalictrum flavum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus: | Thalictrum Tourn. ex L. |
| Species | |
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See text. |
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Thalictrum is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family native mostly to temperate regions.[1]
Thalictrum is a taxonomically difficult genus with poorly understood species boundaries; it is in need of further taxonomic and field research for clarification.
It is unrelated to the true rue (family Rutaceae), but resembles it in having the petiole twice or thrice divided.[2]
Contents |
Meadow-rues are usually found in shaded or damp locations, with a sub-cosmopolitan range throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere and also south to southern Africa and tropical South America, but absent from Australasia. It is most common in temperate regions of the world, twenty-two species are found in North America.
The leaves are alternate, bipinnately compound, commonly glaucous blue-green in colour.
The flowers are small and apetalous (no petals), but have numerous long stamens, often brightly white, yellow, pink or pale purple, and are produced in conspicuous dense inflorescences. In some species (e.g. T. chelidonii, T. tuberosum), the sepals are large, brightly coloured and petal-like, but in most they are small and fall when the flower opens or soon after.
Thalictrum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Setaceous Hebrew Character.