Home/Species/ Alpine Meadowrue

Thalictrum alpinum

Alpine Meadowrue

G5Secure Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141437

Element CodePDRAN0M010

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderRanunculales

FamilyRanunculaceae

GenusThalictrum

Other Common Names

alpine meadowrue (EN) Pigamon alpin (FR)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-07-08

Change Date1991-05-09

Edition Date1991-05-01

Edition AuthorsBroaddus, Lynn

Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

Rank Reasons

Widespread and common within range.

Range Extent Comments

Circumpolar, south in North America to Quebec, Colorado, Nevada, and California. Sparse.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Alpine Meadowrue is a small, perennial herb with mostly simple and nearly leafless stems that are 3-18 cm tall and arising from extensive, slender rhizomes. Each leaf has a slender petiole and is twice-pinnately divided into broad, 3-lobed segments that are 3-8 mm long. Herbage is glabrous or occasionally glandular and covered with a thin, bluish wax. The flowers have both anthers and pistils and are borne on short, nodding stalks in a narrow, terminal inflorescence. The 5 small sepals are purplish and fall soon after opening; petals are lacking. The 2-4 achenes are narrowly elliptic in outline, 2-4 mm long, and prominently ribbed.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The small size and flowers with both anthers and pistils distinguish this species from all other members of the genus.

Habitat

Alpine meadows, stony slopes in the mountains up to at least 2000 m.

Terrestrial Habitats

Grassland/herbaceousAlpine

Other Nations (2)

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Utah	S2	Yes
Colorado	S3	Yes
New Mexico	SNR	Yes
Alaska	SNR	Yes
Montana	S2	Yes
Wyoming	S2	Yes
Oregon	S2	Yes
Nevada	S1	Yes
Idaho	S2	Yes
California	S3	Yes

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
Northwest Territories	SNR	Yes
Quebec	S4	Yes
British Columbia	S4	Yes
Labrador	S2	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	S5	Yes
Yukon Territory	S4	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (8)

Alaska (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
Calder	Tongass National Forest	9,857
Freshwater Bay	Tongass National Forest	44,933
Game Creek	Tongass National Forest	54,469
North Kruzof	Tongass National Forest	33,146

California (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Boundary Peak (CA)	Inyo National Forest	210,884
Horton	Inyo National Forest	5,717

New Mexico (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Pecos	Carson National Forest	13,436

Oregon (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Hurricane Creek	Wallowa-Whitman National Forest	1,606

References (4)

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Lackschewitz, K., P. Lesica and J. S. Shelly. 1988. Noteworthy collections: Montana. Madrono 35:355-358.
Lesica, P. 1990b. Vegetation and sensitive vascular plants of Morrison Lake, Harkness Lakes and Nicholia Creek wetlands, Beaverhead County, Montana. Report to Beaverhead National Forest, Dillon, Montana. 28 pp.
Vanderhorst, J. P. and P. Lesica. 1994. Sensitive plant survey in the Tendoy Mountains, Beaverhead County, Montana. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management, Butte District. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 59 pp. plus appendices.