Rattlesnake root

[SwampDonkey]

Ok Folks here is a challenge and I'm only starting with the early emerging leaves, then I'll add more pics as we go. You find this plant growing with speckled alder and it can reach 6 feet in height.



Leaves are variable, some lobed, some not.
                            some serrated, some not.

have fun

[SwampDonkey]

       

Ok here's the flowers



I believe there are six or seven different species of this genus. But this one is king  

[SwampDonkey]

Closer look at the flowers (aster family)



Also, the stem is often purplish when alive and turns black with fall frost. Leaves generally tri-lobed, but variable (clue to latin species name)  

[SwampDonkey]

hmmm I find that the flowers are more bell shaped on my specimens  :-/

If you get the genus name, just remember the clue to the species name in the previous post.

[SwampDonkey]

Ok, looks like this one was a real hard one. Thus the topic. There are several subspecies but this one is 'Rattle Snake Root' or 'Tall white lettuce' Prenanthes trifoliolata or Prenanthes altissima respectively. Trifoliolata is what we identify it by in my area because its leaves are generally tri-lobed, but extremely variable.