''Thalictrum'' () is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of 120-200 species of

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s in the buttercup family,

Ranunculaceae 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), '' Delphiniu ...

, native mostly to

temperate regions In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalictrum'' is a

taxonomically In biology, taxonomy () is the scientific study of naming, defining ( circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped into taxa (singular: taxon) and these groups are gi ...

difficult genus with poorly understood species boundaries; it is in need of further taxonomic and field research for clarification. Despite their common name of "meadow-rue", ''Thalictrum'' species are not closely related to the true

rue ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of ''Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its blu ...

(family

Rutaceae The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rueRUTACEAE
in BoDD – Botanical Der ...

), but resemble its members in having

compound leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

twice or thrice divided.

Description

Meadow-rue leaves are alternate, bipinnately compound, and commonly glaucous blue-green in colour. The flowers are small and apetalous (no petals), but have numerous long

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s, often brightly white, yellow, pink or pale purple, and are produced in conspicuous dense inflorescences. In some species (e.g. '' T. chelidonii'', '' T. tuberosum''), the

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 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s are large, brightly coloured and petal-like, but in most they are small and fall when the flower opens or soon after.

Habitat and distribution

Meadow-rues are usually found in shaded or damp locations, with a sub-

cosmopolitan range In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The extr ...

throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere and also south to southern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

and tropical

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

, but absent from

Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecolo ...

. They are most common in

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

regions of the world; twenty-two species are found in North America.

Ecology

Anemophily Anemophily or wind pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind. Almost all gymnosperms are anemophilous, as are many plants in the order Poales, including grasses, sedges, and rushes. Other common anemophilou ...

(wind pollination) is a characteristic of some members this genus, as seen in ''

Thalictrum fendleri ''Thalictrum fendleri'' is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Fendler's meadow-rue. It is named in honor of Augustus Fendler. The plant is native to western North America, including much of the wester ...

'' and ''

Thalictrum dioicum ''Thalictrum dioicum'', the early meadow-rue or quicksilver-weed, is a species of herbaceous plants in the family Ranunculaceae. Plants are typically upright growing woodland natives from Colorado Rocky Mountain forests to central and eastern No ...

''. Others, such as ''

Thalictrum sparsiflorum ''Thalictrum sparsiflorum'' is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name fewflower meadow-rue. It is native to northwestern North America and parts of northeastern Asia. It grows in moist habitat, such as strea ...

'', are entomophilous (pollinated by insects). ''Thalictrum'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of some Lepidoptera species including the

Setaceous Hebrew Character The setaceous Hebrew character (''Xestia c-nigrum'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. It is found in the Palearctic realm. It is a common specie ...

moth.

Chemical constituents

''Thalictrum'' species have been extensively studied by chemists. Typical

natural product A natural product is a natural compound or substance produced by a living organism—that is, found in nature. In the broadest sense, natural products include any substance produced by life. Natural products can also be prepared by chemical sy ...

s found in this genus are

benzylisoquinoline Substitution of the heterocycle isoquinoline at the C1 position by a benzyl group provides 1‑benzylisoquinoline, the most widely examined of the numerous benzylisoquinoline structural isomers. The 1-benzylisoquinoline moiety can be identified ...

alkaloids Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

such as

magnoflorine ''(S)-''Magnoflorine is a quaternary benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) of the aporphine structural subgroup which has been isolated from various species of the family Menispermaceae, such as ''Pachygone ovata,'' '' Sinomenium acutum,'' and '' Cis ...

hernandezine Hernandezine is a tetrahydroquinoline alkaloid that has been isolated from '' Thalictrum''. References Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids {{alkaloid-stub ...

, and the structurally related alkaloid

berberine Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids found in such plants as '' Berberis vulgaris'' (barberry), '' Berberis aristata'' (tree turmeric), ''Mahonia aquifolium'' (Oregon grape), '' H ...

Selected species

* ''

Thalictrum alpinum ''Thalictrum alpinum'' is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common names alpine meadow-rue and arctic meadow-rue. It is native to Arctic and alpine regions of North America and Eurasia, including Alaska, northern C ...

'' – alpine meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum aquilegiifolium ''Thalictrum aquilegiifolium''Integrated Taxonom ...

'' – greater meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum chelidonii ''Thalictrum'' () is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native mostly to temperate regions. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalictrum'' is a taxonom ...

'' * ''

Thalictrum cooleyi ''Thalictrum cooleyi'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name Cooley's meadow-rue. It is native to the southeastern United States, where it is present in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. It i ...

'' – Cooley's meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum coreanum ''Thalictrum'' () is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native mostly to temperate regions. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalictrum'' is a ta ...

'' * ''

Thalictrum clavatum ''Thalictrum'' () is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native mostly to Temperate climate, temperate regions. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalic ...

'' - mountain meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum dasycarpum ''Thalictrum dasycarpum'', known as tall meadow rue and purple meadow-rue, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It is native to North America. Description Tall meadow rue is an herbaceous flowering plant with ...

'' * ''

Thalictrum delavayi ''Thalictrum delavayi'', Chinese meadow-rue, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae native to China. Growing to tall by wide, it is a herbaceous perennial with leaves divided into many small leaflets, and panicles of lilac ...

'' – Chinese meadow-rue * ''

'' – early meadow-rue * ''

'' – Fendler's meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum filamentosum ''Thalictrum'' () is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native mostly to Temperate climate, temperate regions. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalic ...

'' * ''

Thalictrum flavum ''Thalictrum flavum'', known by the common names common meadow-rue, poor man's rhubarb, and yellow meadow-rue,Peder Skou is a flowering plant species in the family Ranunculaceae. It is a native to Caucasus and Russia ( Siberia). Growing to ...

'' – yellow or common meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum glaucum ''Thalictrum'' () is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native mostly to temperate regions. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalictrum'' is a taxonom ...

'' * '' Thalictrum heliophilum'' – cathedral meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum kiusianum ''Thalictrum kiusianum'', the Kyushu meadow-rue or dwarf meadow-rue, is a herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennial grown for its compact slowly spreading habit, forming a mat of dark green, with showy purplish-pink flowers. Referen ...

'' – Kyushu meadow-rue, dwarf meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum minus ''Thalictrum minus'', known as lesser meadow-rue, is a perennial herb in the family Ranunculaceae that is native to Europe, Northwest Africa, Yemen, Ethiopia, South Africa, Southwest Asia, and Siberia. It grows on sand dunes, shingle, coas ...

'' – lesser meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum occidentale ''Thalictrum occidentale'' is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name western meadow-rue. It is native to northwestern North America from Alaska and western Canada to northern California to Wyoming and Colora ...

'' – western meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum pubescens ''Thalictrum pubescens'', the king of the meadow or tall meadow-rue, is a plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Description ''Thalictrum pubescens'' is a herbaceous plant with alternate, pinnately compound leaves, on hollow, green stems ...

'' * '' Thalictrum revolutum'' - waxyleaf meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum rochebruneanum ''Thalictrum rochebruneanum'', called the lavender mist meadow rue, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Thalictrum'', native to the Korean Peninsula and Japan. A clumping perennial topped with a loose spray of small medium violet flowe ...

'' – lavender mist meadow-rue * ''

'' – fewflower meadow-rue * ''

Thalictrum thalictroides ''Thalictrum thalictroides'' (syn. ''Anemonella thalictroides''), the rue-anemone, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to woodland in eastern North America. It has white or pink flowers surrounded by a whorl of leaflets, and it blooms in spr ...

'' – rue-anemone (syn. ''Anemonella thalictroides'') * ''

Thalictrum tuberosum ''Thalictrum'' () is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, native mostly to temperate regions. Meadow-rue is a common name for plants in this genus. ''Thalictrum'' is a taxonom ...

'' * '' Thalictrum urbainii''

Cultivation

''Thalictrum'' species are valued as ornamental garden plants, with their sprays of flowers in delicate shades. The following

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

s, with mixed or unknown parents, have received the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (No ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

: *'Black Stockings' *'Elin' * = 'Fr21034' *'Tukker Princess'

Gallery

Thalictrum aquilegifolium, RBGE 2010, 3.jpg, ''Thalictrum aquilegifolium'' Thalictrum chelidonii03.jpg, ''Thalictrum chelidonii'' Thalictrum coreanum2.jpg, ''Thalictrum coreanum'' Thalictrum dasycarpum 1-eheep (5098007362).jpg, ''Thalictrum dasycarpum'' Thalictrum delavayi.jpg, ''Thalictrum delavayi'' flowers Thalictrum dioicum (1).jpg, Early meadow-rue (''Thalictrum dioicum'') Thalictrum filamentosum 1.jpg, ''Thalictrum filamentosum'' Thalictrum flavum1.jpg, ''Thalictrum flavum'' leaves Thalictrum glaucum0.jpg, ''Thalictrum glaucum'' flowers Thalictrum kiusianum1.jpg, ''Thalictrum kiusianum'' Thalictrumoccidentale1.jpg, Female flowers of ''Thalictrum occidentale'' Thalictrum rochebrunnianum.jpg, ''Thalictrum rochebrunnianum'' Thalictrum thalictroides - Rue Anemone.jpg, Rue-anemone (''Thalictrum thalictroides'') Thalictrum tuberosum 1.JPG, ''Thalictrum tuberosum'' Thalictrum urbainii1.jpg, ''Thalictrum urbainii''

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q157177 Ranunculaceae genera Taxa named by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort