(Caulophyllum thalictroides)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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IUCN Red List | not listed |
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NatureServe | N4N5 - Apparently Secure to Secure SNR - Unranked |
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Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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Blue cohosh is a 1′ to 3′ tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on multiple stems from a rhizome. The stems are erect, hairless, and unbranched. They bear just 2 leaves, the first just above the middle, the second just below the inflorescence. The first leaf is compound, triternate, and stalkless. It divides at the base into 3 long stalks. Each stalk is again divided into 3 shorter stalks. At the end of each of these shorter stalks are 3 leaflets. The overall appearance is of 3 biternate leaves. The 27 leaflets are broad, inversely egg-shaped, 2″ to 3″ long, and ¾″ to 4″ wide. They are usually 2- to 5-lobed near the tip, but they may be unlobed. When young they are covered with a whitish, waxy coating. The margins are untoothed. The upper and lower surfaces are hairless. The second leaf is similar to the first but smaller. The inflorescence is a small, branched cluster of 5 to 70 flowers at the end of the stem. The flowers are ⅜″ to ½″ wide. There are 3 or 4 sepal-like bracts that drop early. There are 6 petal-like, yellowish green, widely spreading sepals. The 6 petals are reduced to gland-like nectaries, are opposite the sepals, and are much shorter than the sepals. In the center of the flower are 6 stamens with yellow anthers surrounding a green ovary. The fruits never develop. Two large growing seeds rupture the ovary. The seeds are borne naked in pairs on short stems at the end of the elongated pedicel above the leaves. The seeds are have a dark blue, fleshy seed coat. The seed coat is covered with a whitish, waxy coating, making the seed appear light blue. |
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Height |
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1′ to 3′ |
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Flower Color |
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Yellowish green |
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Similar Species |
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May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum) leaves are not compound. The flower droops from the axil of two leaves. The fruit is a yellow berry. Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) leaves are divided into 2 kidney-shaped segments. The flowers are borne on a leafless flower stalk. The fruit is brownish and capsule-like. |
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Habitat |
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Moist. Woods. |
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Biology |
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Flowering |
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April to May |
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Pests and Diseases |
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Use |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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2/22/2023 | ||||
Nativity |
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Native |
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Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) | ||
Class | Magnoliopsida (flowering plants) | ||
Superorder | Ranunculanae | ||
Order |
Ranunculales (buttercups, poppies, and allies) | ||
Family |
Berberidaceae (barberry) | ||
Subfamily | Berberidoideae | ||
Tribe | Leonticeae | ||
Genus |
Caulophyllum (blue cohoshes) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Common Names |
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blue cohosh papooseroot papoose-root squawroot squaw-root |
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Glossary
Biternate
Twice ternate. A leaf divided into 3 segments, with each segment divided into 3 leaflets.
Bract
Modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, flower cluster, or inflorescence.
Compound leaf
A leaf that is divided into leaflets, each leaflet having the general appearance of a leaf, with all leaflets attached to a single leaf stem.
Nectary
A tissue or organ which produces nectar, usually at or near the base of the inside of a flower.
Pedicel
On plants: the stalk of a single flower in a cluster of flowers. On insects: the second segment of the antennae. On Hymenoptera and Araneae: the narrow stalk connecting the thorax to the abdomen: the preferred term is petiole.
Rhizome
A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.
Sepal
An outer floral leaf, usually green but sometimes colored, at the base of a flower.
Triternate
Three times ternate. A leaf divided into 3 main divisions, with each division divided into 3 segments, and each segment divided into 3 leaflets.
Slideshows |
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Blue Cohosh DianesDigitals |
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About
Copyright DianesDigitals |
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Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Andree Reno Sanborn |
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Other Videos |
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Blue Cohosh wvoutdoorman |
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About
Published on Mar 24, 2012 Blue Cohosh |
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An Herb Tip SeraphSeeker |
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About
Published on Jul 23, 2013 Brett stops to talk about Blue Cohosh. |
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