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Forest-Imp — Spring Snow White in April instead of March

Published: 2013-04-14 04:57:42 +0000 UTC; Views: 336; Favourites: 16; Downloads: 1
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Description Anemone acutiloba (de Candolle) G. Lawson, Proc. & Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada. 2(4): 30. 1884.

The colloquial name of this fleeting beauty is Sharp Lobed Hepatica. She (ok... she and he... who's perfect... a silly botanical joke) is a gorgeous native wildflower here in the Appalachian hills of south-eastern Ohio, in wonderful Athens county. I'm so glad the goddess of spring is finally awaking here in the woods. Late sleeper this time.

Oh, yes... for now this description is the same for your discovery as for my other shots in the same spot, same day, same species for now...

The taxonomy of this Anemone or Hepatica is in flux, to say the least, as the resolution her relationship with the very closely related Eurasian Anemone hepatica and North American Anemone americana is unclear. Genetic or molecular data places all three muses in the genus Anemone. Plant form or anatomy, also known as morphology, is often intermediate between all three. All three were previously and relatively recently lumped into the laurels of Hepatica nobilis , above, and some plant taxonomists still support this stance.... [link] while others, perhaps incorporating more of a plant systematicist approach and recent molecular evidence, have noted that the plants should be placed in Anemone. [link] But one Anemone or three? Anemone is gaining ground and the former link will likely update. Oh, anomaly !

Oh... and she comes in blue, pink and white... and all three are in abundance together on the same the same wooded slope above our bikepath... sweet! I love nature in the woods... ahhhhhhhh... spring....

My favorite quote from the latter link: "D. E. Moerman (1986) lists Hepatica acutiloba as one of the plants used medicinally by Native Americans in the treatment of abdominal pains, poor digestion, and constipation, as a wash for "twisted mouth or crossed eyes," and as a gynecological aid."

Twisted mouth, or crossed eyes...
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Comments: 3

honeycat007 [2013-04-14 21:59:15 +0000 UTC]

gah! these grow all over the place in missouri! xD

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Forest-Imp In reply to honeycat007 [2013-04-15 15:46:54 +0000 UTC]

...as they have in many of the places where i have lived (this and/or the closely related North American one)... but their beauty is so fleeting, and so the opportunity to photograph them is often missed, especially for the pink and blue ones which aren't as frequently seen in most areas (many populations are just white). I love the leaves that follow, covered with such pretty mottled maroon patterns... which are functional as well... the splotches on their leaves help with photoprotection until the canopy above reaches leaf-out... I'll always love the Anemone/Hepaticas... Though these are wild, i've also grown them before and their are some super wierd forms out there, some where the "petals" (technically they are not petals) are more than doubled and arranged in almost pyramidal fashion or like a globular explosion... lol... To me this particular flower is the real harbinger of spring... that the explosion of ephemeral joy is just about to happen... many to you Honeycat... love your name, it's great!

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honeycat007 In reply to Forest-Imp [2013-04-15 18:05:47 +0000 UTC]

wow, great description! I can see you've done your homework! and thanks

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