Caulophyllum giganteum
(Farw.) Loconte & Blackwell
Giant Blue Cohosh
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149049
Element CodePDBER03020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRanunculales
FamilyBerberidaceae
GenusCaulophyllum
SynonymsCaulophyllum thalictroides var. giganteumFarw.
Other Common NamesCaulophylle géant (FR) giant blue cohosh (EN) Northern Blue Cohosh (EN)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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.
Taxonomic CommentsFNA (1997, vol. 3), Kartesz (1999), and Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team (2024) treat Caulophyllum giganteum as distinct from C. thalictroides (Loconte and Blackwell 1984).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-07-13
Change Date2001-01-31
Edition Date2001-01-25
Edition AuthorsKelly McConnell
Range Extent250-20,000 square km (about 100-8000 square miles)
Rank ReasonsCaulophyllum giganteum ranges form Ontario and Quebec east to Vermont and south through Tennessee and North Carolina and is not particularly common anywhere in its range. This species has been newly designated a full species and was formerly considered a subspecies of Caulophyllum thalictroides, a heavily traded and relatively more common medicinal plant that is wild-harvested. Despite similar morphological characteristics, the two species have distinct ranges and phenology, which can help reduce confusion by collectors. However, potential future interest in C. giganteum for medicinal use should be monitored.
Range Extent CommentsCaulophyllum giganteum ranges from Tennessee to North Carolina north to Ontario and Quebec and east to Vermont.
Threat Impact CommentsCaulophyllum giganteum and C. thalictroides are quite similar, differing primarily in size (Flora of North America 1997) and C. giganteum could be confused and "cross-collected" with C. thalictroides where they overlap in range. This could pose a threat to the former due to relatively high demand for C. thalictroides in the herbal industry. Despite similar morphological characteristics, the two species have distinct ranges and phenology, which can help reduce confusion by collectors. Therefore, threats to wild populations due to demand for this industry will probably only incidentally affect C. giganteum if and when the two species are misidentified (pers. comm. E. Fletcher, December 2000; pers. comm. M. McGuffin, December 2000). Estimated average annual use in medicinal industry ranges from 4,000-5,000 dry pounds and 85% of that total is collected from wild populations (pers. comm. E. Fletcher, December 2000).
Habitat loss threatens the long-term viability of species such as this one that are adapted to rich hardwoods, a habitat type that is generally diminishing due to development pressures.
Ecology & Habitat
Diagnostic Characteristics
Caulophyllum giganteum has the potential to be confused with C. thalictroides and the two are considered to be sympatric species (Loconte and Blackwell 1987). The distinguishing factors are phenology and plant size. C. giganteum tends to flower approximately two weeks earlier than C. thalictroides and the former is larger in size, but has fewer flowers that are typically purple, whereas the other has yellow flowers (Loconte and Blackwell 1984).
Habitat
This understory species grows in a variety of habitats including mixed deciduous forest, open oak-hickory-dogwood forest, and sugar maple forest (Uttal 1985).
Ecology
Caulophyllum giganteum is self-sterile and requires outcrossed pollen to reproduce by seed.
Other Nations (2)
United StatesNNR
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|
| North Carolina | S1 | Yes |
| New York | S4 | Yes |
| Vermont | S4 | Yes |
| Virginia | S4 | Yes |
| Tennessee | S1 | Yes |
| New Hampshire | SH | Yes |
| West Virginia | S4 | Yes |
| Kentucky | S4 | Yes |
| Ohio | SNR | Yes |
| Massachusetts | S2 | Yes |
| Michigan | SNR | Yes |
| Indiana | S1 | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | S3 | Yes |
CanadaN5
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|
| Ontario | S5 | Yes |
| Quebec | S4 | Yes |
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (14)
Kentucky (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|
| Wolfpen | Daniel Boone National Forest | 2,835 |
Vermont (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|
| Bread Loaf | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,768 |
| Griffith Lake 09084 | Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests | 1,833 |
References (12)
- Cameron, Don. Botanist, Maine Natural Areas Program. Augusta, ME. Personal communication.
- Cooperrider, T.S., A.W. Cusick, and J.T. Kartesz, eds. 1999 (in press). Seventh catalogue of the vascular plants of Ohio. Ohio State University Press.
- Edward J. Fletcher Strategic Sourcing, Inc.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1997. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 590 pp.
- 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.
- Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- Kartesz, J.T. 1999. State/Province endemic plants as recorded in: A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- Loconte, H. and W.H. Blackwell, Jr. 1984. Berberidaceae of Ohio. Castanea 49(1):39-43.
- McGuffin, Michael. Personal communication. American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring MD
- Uttal, L. J. 1985. Virginia's two kinds of blue cohosh. Jeffersonian 16(2):20-27.
- Weakley, A.S. 2000. Flora of the Carolinas and Virginia: working draft of May 15, 2000. Unpublished draft, The Nature Conservancy, Southern Resource Office.
- Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.