Hi, Could someone id this plant? It has 3 leaves or leaflets in an alternate arrangement on the stem and the flower stalks come out of the middle of each leaf cluster...sorry my terminology is not correct. The flowers are tiny with reddish leafy sepals (?) around them. It is growing in a grassy patch on the edge of wood in Appalachian mtns, N. VA. Thank you for any suggestions! Edited to add...plants to the right and in front of unknown, are young Asclepias syriaca plants to give you an idea of size.
I did a quiz last week on Facebook, 55 yes/no poison ivy ID questions. I'd have said yes for this one. I got more than half right, am interested to see what people say about this.
Years ago Daniel added this link re a Poison ivy question. Still feel it is really good. Poison Ivy - Cliff Lamere
Hi and thank-you all for your input! I am no expert but do have a LOT of poison ivy on the property and I don't *think* this is it. On my property, poison ivy tends to sprawl unless climbing up something but I guess this could vary in other locations? Anyway, this plant is very upright...I was guessing something Ranunculus or Hydrophyllum but as you can tell I am generally at sea when it comes to ids! I will check out Apiaceae...thank-you Tyrlych.
Oh, you westerners! Takes a couple of folks from across the Atlantic to know that this is most definitely not Toxicodendron radicans. While poison ivy is variable, easterners who are savvy of wild places should be able to recognize it on sight as N/soil and I do. I did think that Tyrlych's suggestion of Apiaceae was pretty good. Look at the stringy stem, the stipules, and even the anthocyanins in new growth. I'd like a clearer suggestion of umbels, but it looks like it may be a Sanicula sp. that might be called snakeroot locally. Understand that there are a lot of "snakeroots" out there that are not related, but NC locals might know it on sight by that name. edited to add: Not all apiaceae have quite noticeable umbels, and not all have a strongly herbaceous scent, but I'd probably pinch a leaf to see if it has a particular odor that might help with definitive identification.
Thank-you thanrose! Yes! That's it! Sanicula and I *think* canadensis is the species...no scent when leaf crushed. I am actually in N. VA...I spend some months in NC but this plant was in Clarke county VA and according to the VA plant atlas it is common there. Definitely NOT a weed! I love finding new species! Thanks so much everyone!
