Caltha palustris L.

  • En: cowflock, marsh marigold, cowslip, kingcup
  • Fr: populage des marais, souci d'eau, caltha des marais
  • Oj: ogitebag

Ranunculaceae (Buttercup or crowfoot Family)

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  • Caltha palustris hab
  • Caltha palustris flpl
  • Caltha palustris lvs
  • Caltha palustris flw
  • Caltha palustris ill
General: A perennial forb, to 80 cm tall, glabrous, flowering stems hollow. Nectaries present at the base of the carpels; nectar lines are quite distinct, running lengthwise along the tepals.

Leaves: Basal and cauline, petiolate; blades large, to 17.5 cm wide, cordate to reniform, apex rounded, margins usually dentate. Flowers: Bisexual; few to several in a terminal cyme; flowers to 5 cm across, radially symmetric (actinomorphic); sepals petaloid, deep yellow, 5–9, oval to obovate, to 2.5 cm long and 2 cm wide; true petals lacking; stamens many; pistils 5-10, short-styled, ovary superior. Flowering April to June.

Fruit: A cluster of beaked follicles, sessile, to 1.5 cm long and 0.45 cm wide; seeds numerous, small and black, to 2.5 mm.

Habitat and Range: Wet woods, wet meadows, swamps, marshes, along stream banks, and wet ditches. Marsh marigold has a circumboreal disjunct distribution and occurs throughout Ontario.

Internet Images: The Caltha palustris page from Missouriplants.com.

– written by Derek Goertz