Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Menyanthes trifoliata
buck-bean
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America.

Habitat: Bogs, marshes, ponds and lakes in shallow water, from low to middle elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Perennial, glabrous, fleshy herbs from thick, shallow rhizomes, the stems prostrate and the floral branches ascending.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, all basal, the petioles 10-30 cm. long, with conspicuous sheathing stipules; leaflets 3, short-stalked, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-obovate, 4-12 cm. long, entire to coarsely wavy.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a raceme, the peduncles 5-30 cm. long, the pedicels 5-20 mm. long; calyx 5-6 mm. long, divided nearly to the base, the 5-6 lobes obtuse; corolla tube narrow, about twice as long as the calyx, whitish, the 5-6 lobes purplish tinged, ovate-lanceolate, 5-7 mm. long, pointed, covered with short scales that extend down into the tube; anthers purplish; ovary 1/3 inferior.

Fruits:

Capsule thick-walled, many-seeded.

Accepted Name:
Menyanthes trifoliata L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 145. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Menyanthes trifoliata L. var. minor Raf.
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Menyanthes trifoliata in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Menyanthes trifoliata checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Menyanthes trifoliata information.

E-Flora BC: Menyanthes trifoliata atlas page.

CalPhotos: Menyanthes trifoliata photos.

USDA Plants: Menyanthes trifoliata information.

38 photographs:
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