Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Actaea elata
tall bugbane
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon.

Habitat: Moist, shady woods at low elevations.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Sensitive in Washington (WANHP)

Description:
General:

Herbaceous perennial from a woody rhizome, the stems branched above, 1-2 m. tall, finely pubescent and somewhat glandular above.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, bi-ternate, the leaflets ovate-cordate, up to 1.5 cm. long, tri-lobed, and again shallowly lobed and toothed.

Flowers:

Inflorescenses paniculate, bracteate, branches glandular to lanate; sepals 5, white to pinkish-white; petals 0 (absent); stamens 20-30; pistils 1-3, superior, sessile.

Fruits:

Follicles 9-12 mm. long, sub-sessile, usually single in the upper flowers.

Accepted Name:
Actaea elata (Nutt.) Prantl
Publication: Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 9(3): 246. 1887.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Cimicifuga elata Nutt. [FNA3, HC]
Infraspecies:
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Actaea elata in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Actaea elata checklist entry

OregonFlora: Actaea elata information

E-Flora BC: Actaea elata atlas page

CalPhotos: Actaea elata photos

31 photographs:
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