Anemonastrum canadense
A white-flowered perennial used in traditional Native American medicine.
Anemonastrum canadense, called Canada anemone or crowfoot, is a perennial herb from the buttercup family. It grows in North American moist meadows and along streambanks, spreading quickly through underground rhizomes. Its white flowers are highly prized.
Quick Facts
- Species
- canadense
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The species was first described in 1768 by Carl Linnaeus as Anemone canadensis.
- Sergei Mosyakin expanded the genus Anemonastrum to include this species as Anemonastrum canadense.
- The root was respected by Plains tribes and used for many ailments.
Description
The Canada anemone produces shoots with deeply divided and toothed basal leaves on petioles 8 to 22 cm long. These shoots grow from ascending caudices on long, thin rhizomes and reach 20 to 80 cm in height. Leaves measure 4 to 10 cm by 5 to 15 cm. Flowers have about five white, petal-like sepals and 80 to 100 yellow stamens, blooming above a leaf cluster. The sepals are obovate, 10 to 20 mm by 5 to 15 mm. After pollination, the green pistils form a rounded to slightly lengthened seed head of achenes with a nearly round body and a beak.
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