Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
9. Ranunculaceae, the Buttercup Family
2. Caltha L. -- Marsh marigold, cowslip1. Caltha palustris L.
Loosely clumped, coarsely rooted perennial 2-6 dm tall; stems hollow, rather succulent, glabrous throughout. Leaves simple, the blades rotund-cordate, with the basal lobes separate or overlapping, 4-10(15) cm across, the margin shallowly dentate; membranous stipulelike appendages present at the nodes. Flowers few to several terminating each stem, showy, 2-4 cm across; sepals 4-9, bright yellow, petaloid, 12-20 mm long; petals none; stamens many; pistils 4-12, with very short styles. Follicles somewhat recurved and splitting lengthwise along the inside wall, 1-1.5 cm long. Flowering May--early Jun, fruiting Jun--early Jul. Swamps, springs, boggy areas and along fresh streams; occasional in e and c ND, e SD and e NE; (Circumboreal, in N.Amer. s to VA, WV, NC, TN, IN, IL, IA and NE).
 Caltha palustris. |
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