Thalictrum revolutum DC.

Waxy-leaf meadow-rue, purple meadowrue, skunk meadowrue, waxy meadowrue

Similar species

	Thalictrum dioicum	Thalictrum pubescens	You are here Thalictrum revolutum
Common Name	early meadow rue	tall meadow rue	waxy-leaf meadow-rue
Plant	12–31″ (30–80 cm) tall and around. Stems are pale green or purplish green, smooth, and glaucous.	Tall meadow rue is so named because the plants are larger than other rues, 1½–9½′ (50–300 cm).	3–7′ (91–213 cm) tall. A stout central stem is green or reddish purple, and smooth or with fine hairs. Plants smell pungent (one common name is skunk meadowrue), especially after a rain.
Leaves	Alternate, blue-green, rounded, with three lobes at the far end. The leaves are compound, to say the least. Each compound leaf, which may be up to 1′ (30 cm) in size, has two or three branchlets, and each of those in turn is also a compound leaf, technically odd pinnate, comprised of 3 to 5 leaflets.The individual leaflets are up to 1¾″ (4.4 cm) long, and tipped with 3-9 rounded or somewhat pointed lobes.	Alternate, compound, typically split into three groups of three leaflets each. Leaflets are rounded, somewhat longer than they are wide, split into 3-5 shallow lobes at the ends. Each leaflet is smooth and hairless, about 1″ (2.5 cm) in size.	Alternate, and ternately compound: each “leaf” is split into three smaller leaves, and each of those is further divided into three leaflets. Leaflets are 1–2 ⨉ ½–1″ (2.5–5 ⨉ 1.3–2.5 cm), usually leathery, with rounded bases and 1-3 rounded lobes, usually a larger lobe and two smaller side lobes. Leaf tips are more pointed in unlobed leaflets. Leaf undersides and stems are coated with fine glandular hairs that makes them look waxy and very light-colored, almost white. Leaves smell bad when crushed.
Flowers	In large loosely spaced panicles. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Both sexes lack petals. Male flowers are ¼″ around ⨉ ½″ long (6.3 mm ⨉ 1.3 cm), with 4-5 pale green sepals and 10 or more stamens with long yellow anthers. Female flowers have similar-appearing sepals, and up to 15 pistils with gray, flattish styles. Flowers appear from April to May.	Plants are usually unisexual. Racemes or panicles have many white to purplish flowers. Each flower does not have petals, just four white to purplish sepals and a whole lot of erect white filaments 1/32–¼″ (1.5–7 mm) long, tipped with yellowish anthers ~1/32″ (0.5–1.5 mm) long. Each flower measures about ¼″ (8.4 mm) across. They bring to mind little pompoms or tiny white fireworks displays. Flowers appear from June to August.	White, in multiple racemes or panicles up to 2 ⨉ 1′ (60 ⨉ 30 cm). Each plant typically produces either male or female flowers. Male flowers, each about ¼″ (8.5 mm) long, have 4-5 sepals that spread outwards, and white stamens with yellow or brown anthers in the center. Female flowers have burlike green stamens, a bit like a 3D asterisk, and multiple small white pistils. Flowers appear from late spring to early summer, for about three weeks.
Fruit	Female flowers become ellipsoid achenes. Each achene has prominent ribs and pointed ends.	The white flowers turn purplish, replaced by a cluster of small, fusiform achenes, smooth and ridged, 1/16–⅛″ (2.5–5 mm) long. The achenes are shades of green, drying to brown.	Female pistils become small ribbed achenes that are pointed at both ends.
Range/ Zones	USDA Zones: 4-7	USDA Zones: 3-8
Habitats	River or stream floodplains, forests, and river or lake shores.	Wet habitats: rich woods, low thickets, marshes, swamps, wet meadows and stream/river banks.	Moist to mesic, rocky forests, woodlands, ridges, disturbed soils, and fields.

Thalictrum revolutum description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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