Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Ranunculales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Actaea pachypoda
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read about Actaea and Cimicifuga from Alan Weakley and the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society.
Learn more about Doll's-eyes from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Actaea pachypoda
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Actaea pachypoda
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 076-08-001:
Actaea pachypoda FAMILY Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH (PROBABLY MISAPPLIED) Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Actaea alba
COMMON NAME:
Doll's-eyes, White Baneberry, White Cohosh
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
JK Marlow jkm230322_2001
March Oconee County SC
Sumter National Forest: Andrew Pickens Ranger District
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_actaea_pachypoda_c
March
Sepals and petals drop early, stamens numerous, stigma wider than ovulary, per Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999).
JK Marlow jkm150412_288
April Pickens County SC
Laurel Fork Heritage Preserve
The petals are clawed, cleft apically, and early deciduous, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
JK Marlow jkm150423_586
April Sevier County TN
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Perennial to 80cm tall with 2 large compound leaves, per Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999).
COMPARE
Cohosh, Doll's-eyes, and Goatsbeard
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_actaea_pachypoda_4
April
Small white flowers borne in a compact raceme extending above the leaves, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
JK Marlow jkm060508_100
May Macon County NC
Nantahala National Forest: Wayah Ranger District
Four to five caducous sepals [that is, they fall off early or prematurely], per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
JK Marlow jkm0407n_26
July Sevier County TN
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Leaves readily distinguishable by swellings at the tips of the leaflets, per Guide to the Wildflowers of SC (Porcher & Rayner, 2001).
JK Marlow jkm100730_169
July Jackson County NC
Balsam Mountain Preserve
White berries with purplish black "eye" on thick fleshy pink pedicels, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
JK Marlow jkm100730_169b
July Jackson County NC
Balsam Mountain Preserve
Fruiting pedicels very stout, per Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999).
JK Marlow s040713_a
July Sevier County TN
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Actaea, Astilbe, Aruncus, Caulophyllum, & Aralia can be difficult to distinguish.
COMPARE
compound leaves of woodland herbs, with toothed margins
Will Stuart wil1239848018_1a484a40d0
August Swain County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway/Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The fruit resembles the porcelain eyes once used in dolls, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).
COMPARE
fruits that are an aggregate of berries
JK Marlow jkm0310g_30
October Haywood County NC
Corneille Bryan Native Garden
The fruit is poisonous, per Wild Flowers of NC, 1st edition.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Actaea pachypoda
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Actaea pachypoda
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Actaea pachypoda
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 076-08-001:
Actaea pachypoda
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH (PROBABLY MISAPPLIED)
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Actaea alba