Actaea pachypoda f. rubrocarpa (Killip) Fernald

Doll’s-eyes, doll’s eyes

This rare variant of white baneberry is a North American native.

Plants: White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) is a plant that produces clusters of white berries. Red baneberry (Actaea rubra) produces red berries. This rare variant of white baneberry produces red berries. To make the confusion complete, there is also a rare form of red baneberry (Actaea rubra f. neglecta) that produces white berries.

Leaves: Saw-toothed leaves are in groups of three, sometimes five, on thin stems. Leaflets are up to 4 ⨉ 2″ (10 ⨉ 5 cm).

Flowers: White flowers occur in a round or cylindrical cluster 1½″ (3.8 cm) around and 1–3″ (2.5–7.6 cm) long. Individual flowers are ¼–½″ (6.3–12 mm) in size, with up to 10 narrow petals and a whole lot of long white stamens. They appear from May to June.

Fruits: Red berries supported by pedicels that are ⅛″ (3 mm) or more in thickness. Instead of the tomato red of red baneberry, these berries have a more luminous deep magenta color, becoming more purplish with time.

Habitats: Clay to coarse loamy upland soils, in hardwood and mixed forest stands.

Some variants are compared here.

Edibility: All parts of this plant are poisonous. As few as two of these very bitter berries may be fatal to children; a half dozen can cause cardiac arrest and bizarre neurological symptoms in an adult. The roots and leaves also contain several poisons that are dangerous when ingested and can cause skin blisters.

Online References:

Actaea pachypoda f. rubrocarpa description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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