Coptis trifolia (L.) Salisb.

Goldthread, threeleaf goldthread, canker-root, tisavoyanne

Threeleaf goldthread is native to eastern Eurasia, Green­land, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Canada, and the United States.

Plants: These plants hug the forest floor, at 3–6″ (7.6–15 cm) in height. The roots of these plants are long and golden yellow, hence the “goldthread” part of the name.

Leaves: Each plant is comprised of a single glossy evergreen leaf, though it is so deeply lobed that it looks like three distinct leaves, hence the “threeleaf” part of the name. The three leaves together form a rough rounded triangle. Leaf tips are scalloped. The leaf emerges on a very short stem.

Flowers: Each plant produces a single, rather beautiful flower atop a long, thin stem. It is ¼–½″ (8.3–12 mm) in diameter. The things that look like five to seven white petals are actually sepals. Inside the sepals, not looking the least bit like petals, are 4 to 7 tiny yellow petals, shaped like diminutive spoons, with a drop of nectar in each spoon. There are many white-tipped threadlike stamens. Flowers appear in May, and are easy to miss, since they don’t persist for very long.

Fruits: A small array of 4-7 pods, each ¼″ (8.5 mm) long, reminiscent of a candelabra.

Habitats: Cool, moist habitats in pine and spruce forests.

Medical: Indigenous peoples and colonists chewed the bitter yellow roots of these plants to relieve canker sores, hence the common name canker-root. The Physician’s Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines lists treatment of digestive disorders among its unproven uses.

Online References:

References:

Older scientific or horticultural names

Coptis trifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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