Actaea rubra
           
Baneberry

Flower Bottom

Cypress Hills, Centre Block
23-June-2008

There are 3 or 4 (occasionally 5) sepals and 3 to 5  (occasionally 10) petals.  However, both the sepals and petals fall off early.  Some of the sepals have already been shed from the flower depicted here.

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Actaea: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 
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plants NOT woody climbers

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leaves either basal or alternate; NOT [leaves opposite]

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flowers regular

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petals NOT spurred

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carpel one; NOT [carpels two or more]

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fruit a berry; NOT [fruit an achene or follicle]

 

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Ranunculaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled or basal]

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leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

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leaves mostly submerged, small, coarsely to finely dissected; NOT [leaves mostly floating, large, suborbicular or reniform]

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flowers pedicellate; NOT [flowers sessile, axillary]

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flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

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flowers perfect; NOT [flowers monoecious]

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calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

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petals mostly white or yellow

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stamens usually more than 10; NOT [stamens 10 or fewer]

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carpels separate; NOT [carpels united]