Author | (Michaux) Nuttall | |
Distribution | Mountains only. Two records: 1) A single collection from Buncombe County at the Biltmore Estate in 2008. Collected from disturbed cutover woods and presumed to be non-native, since natural habitats of this plant are in high pH or limestone soils. 2) A photo on Facebook Carolina Flora group in May 2021 near Shulls Mill Road in Watauga County. The plants, showing both the flowers and fruit, were close to the non-native Japanese-spurge (Pachysandra terminalis), though some true native species are also in the photo, including a trillium. The site presumably lacks calcareous rock material, and presence of the spurge in the photo suggests that the plant might have been planted many years ago, or had escaped there.
Que. to WI south to GA and AR; known from counties in VA and TN close to northwestern NC . Planted and escaped within that range and elsewhere. | |
Abundance | Very rare, and presumed not native. However, the editors suggest a State Rank of SE?, instead of the flat-out SE (exotic). Adding it to the NCNHP Watch List, as W4 (uncertain provenance though more likely not native) is suggested also. | |
Habitat | Disturbed cut-over woodland, and forested margin near road. Native habitats are usually in undisturbed, rich forests, over calcareous material. | |
Phenology | Flowering and fruiting April-May, rarely to June. | |
Identification | Plants grow about 1-2 feet tall from a cluster of basal leaves that are cut into 5-9 leaflets, each of them shallowly lobed. Stem leaves are similar but generally 5-lobed. All leaves are glaucescent beneath. Pale to bright yellow flowers are produced on stalks opposite the upper stem leaves, 1.5 inches across. The fruit are distinctive, white and fuzzy ellipsoidal capsules on long and dangling stalks. | |
Taxonomic Comments | | |
Other Common Name(s) | | |
State Rank | SE? | |
Global Rank | G5 | |
State Status | | |
US Status | | |
USACE-agcp | | |
USACE-emp | | |