Thalictrum aquilegifolium (Meadow Rue)

Thalictrum aquilegifolium

Thalictrum aquilegifolium L.

Meadow Rue

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Magnoliidae	Includes magnolias, nutmeg, bay laurel, cinnamon, avocado, black pepper, and many others
Order	Ranunculales	Basal (evolved earlier) eudicots, also called “true dicots”
Family	Ranunculaceae	Buttercup family
Genus	Thalictrum	From Greek qaliktron (thaliktron), a “plant with divided leaves”
Species	aquilegifolium

About plant names...

Columbine meadow rue is native to eastern Europe, naturalized in part of Canada.

Identification: Plants reach 3-4' (91-121 cm) in height. Flowers occur in groups 6-8" (15-20 cm) around. Each flower lacks petals, but has a spray of pink-violet stamens that looks like a soft pom-pom. Foliage consists of rounded leaves that have three divisions, and are more deeply divided than other rues, resembling leaves of columbines.

Online References:

Thalictrum aquilegifolium on Erv Evans' site at the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Thalictrum aquilegifolium on Discover Life

Thalictrum aquilegifolium on CalPhotos

Thalictrum aquilegifolium on Rob’s Plants

5/24/2010 · Stan and Connie’s, Falmouth, ME
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

Thalictrum aquilegifolium description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Aug 2013.

7/7/2017 · Stan and Connie’s, Falmouth, ME ID is uncertain

5/24/2010 · Stan and Connie’s, Falmouth, ME
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm) ID is uncertain

Range: Zones 5-8:

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