Trautvetteria applanata Greene

Ozark Tassel Rue

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Ozark Tassel Rue is a native herbaceous perennial in the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is native to the northern third of Alabama. Ozark Tassel Rue occurs in moist woodlands, in ravines, and on the banks of streams, often in areas with basic soils. It is a perennial from a short rhizome with fascicles of thin roots. Stems are erect, usually unbranched, 2-3 feet in height, glabrous, and green in color. Leaves are basal and cauline. The basal and lower stem leaves are petiolate, and the upper stem leaves are sessile. Leaves are ovate in outline, palmately 5-11 lobed, with serrate margins. The marginal teeth are shallow and rounded at the apex with a short, hard point. Leaves are progressively reduced in size from the base. Flowers are produced in terminal corymbs. Individual flowers have 3-5 greenish-white ovate sepals, no petals, 50-100 white stamens, and 15 white pistils. The fruit is an ellipsoid, papery utricle. Trautvetteria has variously been considered one species occurring in temperate eastern North America, western North America, and Japan; 3-7 subspecies; or 5-7 closely related species. Ozark Tassel Rue contains protoanemonin which can cause redness and blistering of the skin from contact with the foliage. It is sometimes cultivated for its showy flowers. It prefers a moist, organic rich soil in partial shade. Plants can be grown from divisions or seed.—A. Diamond.

All Trautvetteria material in Alabama has historically been referred to as Trautvetteria caroliniensis (Walter) Vail sensu lato. However, it appears T. applanata Greene, a name applicable to the Alabama material but often subsumed in synonymy, has validity as a taxon and should be recognized. In doing so, it is probable T. caroliniensis sensu strictu does not occur in Alabama but in the Appalachians to the northeast of our state (Floden pers. comm.). Thus all specimens cited below should be reevaluated and annotated accordingly.--B. Keener

Native

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