Common name:
Fendler's cowbane
Family:
Scientific name:
Oxypolis fendleri
Main flower color:
Range:
The Four Corners states, and south Wyoming
Height:
Between 18 and 30 inches
Habitat:
Streambanks and moist meadows, in the subalpine and montane zones
Leaves:
Divided into 7 lanceolate, toothed leaflets, each 2 to 3 inches long
Season:
June to September
Oxypolis fendleri is a familiar sight beside streams and in wet meadows in the southern Rocky Mountains and nearby ranges; divided, mostly basal leaves, a thick green stem and flat-topped umbels of tiny white flowers. The divided leaves are somewhat variable; those up the stem have leaflets that are narrower and less likely to be toothed. The common name, cowbane, refers to the toxicity of the plant to animals, especially cattle. The stem branches a few times; at the base of each branch is a sheath, several inches long, which tends to wither around flowering time.
Flower clusters are divided into umbellets, typically between 5 and 15, each containing 10 to 20 or more separate flowers, which have five notched white petals around a greenish white center. The whole cluster is small, only 2 to 3 inches across, though plants can form large colonies, covering the ground for many square feet.
Flower clusters are divided into umbellets, typically between 5 and 15, each containing 10 to 20 or more separate flowers, which have five notched white petals around a greenish white center. The whole cluster is small, only 2 to 3 inches across, though plants can form large colonies, covering the ground for many square feet.
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