''Coptis aspleniifolia'', commonly known as fernleaf goldthread or spleenwort-leaf goldthread, is found in the northern two-thirds of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, in

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, and along the Cascades into Washington and is a native plant of the

temperate rain forest Temperate rainforests are rainforests with coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rainforests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rainforests of Nor ...

s of the region. It is often found in the understory of the herb layer of

coniferous forests Conifers () are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All e ...

as part of a multilayered canopy system on gleysolic or organic soils. Also found in wet woods and bogs, the fernleaf goldthread is not invasive or poisonous. The plant is considered common and widespread in its native range. An

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

, the fernleaf goldthread is mostly hairless and five to 30 centimeters in height. Its leaves resemble those of

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

s, are all basal, dark-green and glossy and divided into five or more segments. The fernleaf goldthread blooms in mid-spring with a pale greenish white or yellow flower. It has two or three nodding flowers per stalk, each with five to seven

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s and five to seven thin petals. The fernleaf goldthread is a member of the

buttercup family Ranunculaceae (, buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are ''Ranunculus'' (600 species), ''Delphinium ...

. The plant gets its common name from its leaves which are structured similar to the common fern and for its roots, which are vibrant golden hue when peeled. It plays several roles in the ecosystem, serving as a protective ground cover, keeping moisture in the ground by providing shade, and providing a food source for deer.

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1666287 aspleniifolia Flora of Alaska Flora of British Columbia Flora without expected TNC conservation status