Geum triflorum

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Geum triflorum
Geum triflorum 4879.JPG
Geum triflorum (Olympic National Park)
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Geum
Species:
G. triflorum
Binomial name
Geum triflorum
Subspecies
  • G. triflorum var. campanulatum
  • G. triflorum var. canescens
  • G. triflorum var. ciliatum
Synonyms
  • Erythrocoma triflora Greene
  • Geum triflorum f. triflorum
  • Geum triflorum var. triflorum
  • Sieversia triflora Spreng.

Geum triflorum, commonly known as prairie smoke[1], torch flower, long-plumed purple avens, lion's beard, three-flowered avens, or old man's whiskers, is a spring-blooming perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Geum genus.[2] It is a hemiboreal/continental climate species that is widespread in colder and drier environments of western North America, although it does occur in isolated populations as far east as New York and Ontario.[3] It is particularly known for the long feathery plumes on the seed heads that have inspired many of the regional common names and aid in wind dispersal of its seeds.

Description[edit]

Leaves of G. triflorum showing distinct rosette
Seed head of G. triflorum var. ciliatum showing the elongated feathery styles

Geum triflorum is a perennial herb with short, spreading rhizomes, which form colonies of stemless rosettes[1] which have a sassafras-like flavor.[4] The leaves grow from a caudex and are 4-30 cm long. They are divided into leaflets with deep divisions that makes the leaves resemble the leaves of a fern. The leaflets are arranged pinnately along a common leaf stem with smaller leaflets mixed in with 7-18 larger ones and single larger leaflet at the end of the leaf. The leaves are covered with extremely small downy hairs.[5][4]

Early in the spring the leaves often lay flat to the ground and are in poor condition, but soon become more upright in response to the warmer days and lack of snow cover. In the heat of a dry summer the leaves will also lay down closer to the earth. The plants resume growth in the fall as other plants are starting to go dormant, growing an impressive mound of deep grey-green leaves.[3] The leaves are evergreen in areas without severe cold or there is protective snow cover, though they often turn purple, orange, or reddish.[6][7]

The flowers of G. triflorum appear from mid-spring to early summer. The flowering stalks stand well above the leaves on red-purple-maroon stems 10-45 cm in height. The flowering stem is almost bare with a few very small leaves called bractlets on the main stem and where the arching flower stalks (pedicels) attach to the main stem.[4] Each flower hangs upside down by itself from a separate pedicle. There are usually three flowers on each flower stalk, but sometimes one, five, or even seven per stalk. The sepals are strongly closed and pink to maroon in color, covered in fine downy hairs, with five narrow pointed bracts radiating outward toward the base of the flower. The flowers contain five 7-13 mm long elliptical petals mostly to entirely hidden under the sepals. They are most often a light yellow to cream in color, but sometimes have a blush of pink or purple and purple veins.[5][8]

When pollination is completed the flower heads turn upright and the sepals begin to open. The petals may be visible at this stage. The many styles grow longer, eventually becoming 15-70 mm in length. The styles are densely covered in fine hairs making them resemble downy bird feathers or wisps of mauve smoke.[9] The seed heads start out pale pink in color and fade to tan or grey as the seeds mature in mid-summer.[3] The seeds do not appear to need cold stratification as germination did not change significantly when tested.[1]

Taxonomy[edit]

Illustration of G. triflorum from The native flowers and ferns of the United States in their botanical, horticultural and popular aspects, 1878

Geum triflorum was named and described by Frederick Traugott Pursh in his book Flora americae septentrionalis using a 1811 collection by John Bradbury. He placed the species within Linnaeus' Geum, a genus with a name derived from Greek for "taste", with the species name of G. triflorum for the three flowers usually present on each flower stalk. The species was previously collected in Idaho on 12 June 1806 by Meriwether Lewis, but was not described by him and that specimen was incorrectly described as a new species named Geum ciliatum by Pursh.[10] Kurt Sprengel placed it in Sieversia as S. triflora in his update of Systema Vegetabilium published in 1825.[11] This classification was eventually rejected as was the 1906 attempt by Edward Lee Greene to create a new genus that would reclassify G. triflorum as Erythrocoma triflora and separate out a dozen regional varieties as separate species.[12][13][14]

Subspecies[edit]

G. triflorum has three subspecies that are accepted by many, but not all, authorities, as of 2023.[5]

  • Geum triflorum var. campanulatum (Greene) C.L.Hitchc.
  • Geum triflorum var. canescens (Greene) Kartesz & Gandhi
  • Geum triflorum var. ciliatum (Pursh) Fassett

Geum triflorum var. campanalatum was described as a separate species, Erythrocoma campanulata, by Greene[15] and as Geum campanulatum by G.N. Jones, but Charles Leo Hitchcock argued for its classification as a subspecies of G. triflorum in 1961, writing, "There has been much diversity of opinion regarding both the generic status of, and significance of the variation in, this complex. In general the several taxa that have been recognized at the specific level are largely sympatric and completely transitional and there seems to be no good reason to recognize more than 3 races for our area..."[16][17] This has become the accepted view as researched by Richard Pankhurst. It differs in having leaflets that are rounder (obovate-cuneiform instead of cuneiform), shorter leaves overall, and flowers that are more open/bell shaped (campanulate). It was described from a type specimen found in the Olympic Mountains.[15] It is recorded by the USDA as growing in Washington state and Oregon.[18] This subspecies is accepted by World Flora Online and the USDA, but not Kew Gardens or Flora of North America.[19][14]

Geum triflorum var. canescens was similarly described by Greene as Erythrocoma canescens in his 1906 book. Arguing against Erythrocoma, the Swedish-American botanist Per Axel Rydberg classified it as Sieversia canescens in 1913.[20] In 1958 Philip A. Munz accepted it as a species, but moved it back to Geum as Geum canescens.[21] In 1990 John T. Kartesz and Kanchi Gandhi published an article on the nomenclature of North American plants giving it its current status as a subspecies of G. triflorum.[22][23] The type specimen was collected in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in 1863 near Ebbett's Pass. It is distinguished by being stouter and sometimes taller than Geum triflorum var. campanalatum and covered in grayish-white hairs on the leaves "canescently soft-villous and sparsely pilose", but with similarly shorter leaves than the species.[15] It is recorded by the USDA as growing in Pacific Northwest of the United States including California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington state, and Wyoming with county level distribution records in northern California and Nevada. This subspecies is accepted by World Flora Online and the USDA, but not Kew Gardens or Flora of North America.[19][14]

Geum triflorum var. ciliatum was first described as a species, Geum ciliatum, by Pursh at the same time as he described G. triflorum.[24] George Don reclassified it as Sieversia ciliata in 1832 in the book A General History of the Dichlamydeous Plants.[25] It was similarly placed by Greene into his proposed Erythrocoma, but he separated it into two species, Erythrocoma ciliata[26] and Erythrocoma grisea[27]. In 1913 Rydberg described Sieversia grisea, but this is now accepted as a synonym for the subspecies.[28] While there were other published classifications, the one currently accepted was written by Norman Carter Fassett and published in 1928 in the journal Rhodora.[29] The subspecies is distinguished by having larger leaflets that are cleft (having a deep division) for more than half their lengths and the seed heads having shorter styles, 15-40 mm instead of 15-70 mm.[29] The USDA records it as growing from British Columbia to northern California and from the mountains of New Mexico to Saskatchewan. It is recorded by them as growing in both Colorado and Montana without county level distributions.[30] This subspecies is accepted by World Flora Online, the USDA, Kew Gardens, and Flora of North America.[19][14]

Geum triflorum var. ornatum is a subspecies published by Fassett at the same time as G. triflorum var. ciliatum in Rhodora. It is not currently accepted by most authorities[31], including World Flora Online, the USDA, Kew Gardens, and Flora of North America.[19][14]

Habitat[edit]

Typical western US habitat. Photo taken in Burke Park, Bozeman, Montana

G. triflorum grows in open, non-forested habitat with well drained soils. This includes meadows in montane forests, prairies of the upper Midwest, and alvars in Michigan, New York, Ontario, and Manatoba.[32][33] Plants are tolerant of clay soils when slopes provide drainage, but intolerant of being waterlogged, particularly in winter.[2] They require good moisture for new plants to establish and prefer areas that are well supplied with water in the spring, but tolerant of drought in summer and healthier with drier soils in summer.[7] In habitats with more precipitation they will often be found in areas with more freely draining soils and/or on areas raised up above the surrounding landscape. In drier habitats plants will often be found in lower areas that have additional moisture from spring runoff. Prairie smoke plants are tolerant of some shade and prefer some afternoon shade in climates with hot summers.[2]

In the central Rocky Mountains G. triflorum will grow to around timberline at 3,800 meters and as low as 2,000 meters in the foothills.[34] In New York it grows at an altitude of 90 meters in the In the midwest it grows near to the level of the great lakes at 90 meters in elevation in Chaumont Barrens Preserve.[33]

Distribution[edit]

G. triflorum is widely distributed in North America, but is only common in the Upper Midwest and mountainous west.

In Canada it is common from British Columbia to Manatoba. It also grows in parts of the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territory. It is a common prairie species in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. Contiguous with this it is reported in nine of the north-eastern counties in Illinois and eight counties in north-eastern South Dakota. It is recorded by the USDA as growing in Iowa without a specific location. It is common throughout the prairies of Montana and Wyoming and into the mountains of Idaho, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. It is present in the adjoining Black Hills in South Dakota, the eastern portions of Washington state, Oregon, and the north east mountainous portion of California. Populations are also found in the mountains of northern New Mexico and Arizona.

In the eastern United States and Ontario populations are much rarer and isolated. It grows in six counties of the lower peninsula of Michigan and just Chippewa County in the upper peninsula. In New York state it is only recorded by the USDA as growing in Jefferson County and Oswego County, which are adjacent to Lake Ontario.[35] The New York Flora Atlas only records vouchered specimens from Jefferson County, NY.[36]

Ecology[edit]

Illustration by George Cooke, 1830

The flowers produce both nectar and pollen. They are visited mainly by bumblebees, which are able to force their way into the mostly closed flowers and reach the nectar.[6] They also buzz-pollinate to dislodge pollen from the stamens and gather it to feed their young. As it blooms early in the season and in large amounts in suitable habitats it is suggested that it is one of the plants that is critical to the success of queen bumblebees in establishing their first brood.[37] Smaller bees such as sweat bees from the genus Lasioglossum feed on pollen grains from the opening of the flower.[38] Bumblebees are the only effective cross-pollinators.[6] Various insects become nectar robbers by chewing holes in the top of the flower, near the stem, to reach the nectar.[38]

It is not a major source of forage for most native herbivores including mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and game birds, but is foraged by white tailed deer. It is similarly not generally eaten by cattle, horses, or domestic sheep and has a low amount of protein.[1]

Uses[edit]

Prairie smoke is planted in gardens as an ornamental plant for its interesting seed heads and for the persistent foliage in the winter.[7] It is popular for native gardens, rock gardens, and with gardeners that wish to have an informal natural look. Plants are winter hardy in USDA zones 3-7 and do not have any serious disease or pest problems.[2] It is planted in either the spring or fall from cultivated plants or by seed. The size of the plant is very dependent on the richness of the soil with very lean soils without organic matter the plants will be quite compact and in rich soils they will become much larger and competitive.[3] It is not tolerant of deep shade and can be crowded out by taller plants which grow over it and deprive it of light.[7]

Some Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Plateau used three-flowered avens to treat tuberculosis.[39] Some Native Americans once made a tea from the plant's roots.[40][specify]

Gallery[edit]

  • USFWS Mountain-Prairie

    USFWS Mountain-Prairie

  • Flower detail

    Flower detail

  • Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) on Olympic National Forest Mount Townsend Trail

    Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) on Olympic National Forest Mount Townsend Trail

  • Geum triflorum Saskatchewan, flower side view

    Geum triflorum Saskatchewan, flower side view

  • Geum triflorum in meadow habitat Yellowstone National Park. 11 June 2017

    Geum triflorum in meadow habitat Yellowstone National Park. 11 June 2017

  • Detail of the styles on a seed head

    Detail of the styles on a seed head

  • Immature seed head opened to show the achenes sitting in the persistant hypanthium and bearing plumose tails (modified styles).

    Immature seed head opened to show the achenes sitting in the persistant hypanthium and bearing plumose tails (modified styles).

  • Meadow habitat mid-summer development of seed heads Olympic National Park.

    Meadow habitat mid-summer development of seed heads Olympic National Park.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Munger, Gregory T. (2006). "Geum triflorum". Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (USFS), Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.
  2. ^ a b c d "Geum triflorum". Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Mahr, Susan. "Prairie Smoke, Geum triflorum". Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Taylor, Ronald J. (1994) [1992]. Sagebrush Country: A Wildflower Sanctuary (rev. ed.). Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Pub. Co. p. 124. ISBN 0-87842-280-3. OCLC 25708726.
  5. ^ a b c WFO (2023). "Geum triflorum Pursh". World Flora Online. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Hilty, John (2020). "Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)". Illinois Wildflowers.
  7. ^ a b c d Johnstone, Gemma. "How to Grow and Care for Prairie Smoke". The Spruce. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  8. ^ Denver Botanic Gardens (2018). Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountain region (1st ed.). Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 134. ISBN 9781604696448.
  9. ^ Schillo, Rebecca (2011). Cummings, Nina (ed.). "Native Landscaping Takes Root in Chicago". The Field Museum Magazine: 13.
  10. ^ Reveal, James L.; Moulton, Gary E.; Schuyler, Alfred E. (29 January 1999). "The Lewis and Clark Collections of Vascular Plants: Names, Types, and Comments". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 149: 1–64.
  11. ^ "Sieversia triflora (Pursh) Spreng". WFO. World Flora Online. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Erythrocoma triflora (Pursh) Greene". WFO. World Flora Online. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  13. ^ Greene, Edward Lee (1906). Leaflets of Botanical Observation and Criticism Vol. 1 (1st ed.). Washington, D.C. p. 175. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e Rohrer, Joseph R. (6 November 2020). "Geum triflorum". Flora of North America. The FNA Association. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b c Greene, Edward Lee (1906). Leaflets of Botanical Observation and Criticism Vol. 1 (1st ed.). Washington, D.C. p. 178. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Geum triflorum var. campanulatum (Greene) C.L.Hitchc". WFO. World Flora Online. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  17. ^ Hitchcock, Charles Leo (June 1961). Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest Part 3 (1st ed.). University of Washington Press. pp. 113–115.
  18. ^ "Geum triflorum Pursh var. campanulatum (Greene) C.L. Hitchc". USDA Plants Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  19. ^ a b c d POWO (2023). "Geum triflorum Pursh". Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Published on the Internet. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  20. ^ WFO (2023). "Sieversia canescens (Greene) Rydb". World Flora Online. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  21. ^ WFO (2023). "Geum canescens (Greene) Munz". World Flora Online. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  22. ^ Kartesz, John T.; Gandhi, Kancheepuram N. (June 1990). "Nomenclatural Notes for the North American Flora. II". Phytologia. 68 (6): 425. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  23. ^ WFO (2023). "Geum triflorum var. canescens (Greene) Kartesz & Gandhi". World Flora Online. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  24. ^ WFO (2023). "Geum ciliatum Pursh". World Flora Online. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  25. ^ WFO (2023). "Sieversia ciliata (Pursh) G.Don". World Flora Online. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  26. ^ WFO (2023). "Erythrocoma ciliata (Pursh) Greene". World Flora Online. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  27. ^ WFO (2023). "Erythrocoma grisea Greene". World Flora Online. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  28. ^ WFO (2023). "Sieversia grisea Rydb". World Flora Online. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  29. ^ a b WFO (2023). "Geum triflorum var. ciliatum (Pursh) Fassett". World Flora Online. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  30. ^ USDA, NRCS. (2023). "Geum triflorum Pursh var. ciliatum (Pursh) Fassett". The PLANTS Database. Greensboro, NC USA.: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  31. ^ WFO (2023). "Geum triflorum f. ornatum Fassett". Published on the Internet. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  32. ^ Volk, Kate; Braasch, Joseph; Ahlering, Marissa; Hamilton, Jill A. (November 2022). "Environmental contributions to the evolution of trait differences in Geum triflorum: Implications for restoration". American Journal of Botany. 109 (11): 1822–1837. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  33. ^ a b "SLELO PRISM". Chaumont Barrens. The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  34. ^ Ackerfield, Jennifer (2015). Flora of Colorado (First ed.). Fort Worth, Texas: Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press. p. 725. ISBN 9781889878454.
  35. ^ "Plants Profile for Geum triflorum (old man's whiskers)". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  36. ^ "Geum triflorum var. triflorum". New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  37. ^ Bizecki Robson, Diana (January 2013). "An assessment of the potential for pollination facilitation of a rare plant by common plants: Symphyotrichum sericeum (Asteraceae) as a case study". Botany. 91 (1). doi:10.1139/cjb-2012-0133.
  38. ^ a b Heather Holm (2014). Pollinators on Native Plants. Minnetonka, MN: Pollinator Press. pp. 80–81.
  39. ^ Hunn, Eugene S. (1990). Nch'i-Wana, "The Big River": Mid-Columbia Indians and Their Land. University of Washington Press. p. 353. ISBN 0-295-97119-3.
  40. ^ Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 751. ISBN 0-394-50432-1.

External links[edit]

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