Family - Ranunculaceae

Stems - To +30cm tall, from rhizomes, herbaceous, erect, terete, sparse sericeous, simple.

Leaves - Basal leaves palmately divided into 3-5 lobes. Lobes divided again, toothed near apex, typically entire in lower half, sericeous below, less so above, +/-12cm broad and long. Petioles to +/-15cm long, sericeous. Cauline leaves(involucre bracts) sessile, 3-lobed, 8-9cm broad and long, sericeous. Lobes again divided, toothed near apex, entire in lower half.

Basal leaf blade.

Inflorescence - Single flowers or loose cymes terminating stems. Pedicels to +8cm long, sericeous, 1.5mm in diameter.

Flowers - To -5cm broad. Petaloid sepals 5, white, glabrous, obovate to elliptic, equal or subequal, obtuse or emarginate at apex, to +2cm long, +1.5cm broad. Stamens many(+100), borne beneath pistils. Filaments glabrous. Anthers yellow, to +1mm long.

Flowering - May - July.

Habitat - Low moist ground, flood plains, low woods.

Origin - Native to U.S.

Other info. - The big white flowers and palmate leaves of this plant are unmistakable. The plant is common and can be found in large colonies. Because it favors locations near water, you may encounter other interesting species when hunting the plant. One such species is Nerodia sipedon sipedon. This specimen was basking itself on a warm gravel road after a cool night:

Photographs taken at the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, 5-3-00, and off the MKT Trail, Columbia, MO., 5-11-04.