Identitification
- Large round or kidney-shaped leaves have a toothed edge.
- Leaves and flower stems grow directly out of the ground.
- Quarter-sized yellow flowers.
- 5 separate petals, with 5 small pointed leaves directly beneath petals.
- Each flower stem carries 1-5 large flowers.
- Up to 50 rice-sized hard tan fruits can form at the center of an individual flower.
| Flowering |
Are some or all of the plant (s)...
Before flower - The leaves and flower buds are starting to emerge from the ground, but the flower bud at the tip of the reddish flower stem remains unopened.
In flower - A flower is open enough to allow access to a pollinator, but the petals have not wilted or fallen.
After flower - The petals have begun to wilt or fall, leaving 5 pointed leaves and many yellow “hairs” that surround a group of green ovaries at the center of a flower. The ovaries begin to swell slightly as they develop into fruits, but they have not dried and turned tan yet.
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| Fruiting |
Are some or all of the plant(s)...
Before ripe fruit - The petals have fallen and green fruits in the center of a flower have begun to swell slightly, but have not turned completely tan yet. The 5 pointed leaves and many yellow “hairs” that surround the developing green fruits will dry and turn tan first, but are not the fruits.
Ripe fruit - Small fruits at the center of a seed-head have dried and turned from green to completely tan, but the fruit has not begun to disperse from the center of the seed-head yet. Up to 50 hardened fruits with small bristles can form in an individual flower.
After ripe fruit - Tan fruit has dispersed from a seed-head, or an entire seed-head has broken off from a flower stem. Look carefully at the center of the seed-head for “missing” fruits - they will usually disperse from the center of the seed-head first.
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Fun Facts
This species grows only in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and one county in Canada. Despite the fact that this species is very rare on a global scale, it can be very common in the few locations where it is found.
Mountain avens grows in moist alpine and cool, sub-alpine meadows, stream sides, bogs, and cliff seeps.
With its large yellow petals, this flower is often mistaken for a buttercup, but is actually a member of the rose family.
