Thalictrum flavum, known by the common namescommon meadow-rue,[2][3]poor man's rhubarb,[4] and yellow meadow-rue,[5] is a flowering plantspecies in the family Ranunculaceae. It is a native to Caucasus and Russia (Siberia). Growing to 100 cm (39 in) tall by 45 cm (18 in) broad, it is an herbaceousperennial producing clusters of fluffy yellow fragrant flowers in summer.
Description
Thalictrum flavum has fibrous roots,[6] and wedge-shaped,[7] dark green leaves, with a paler green underneath; they are divided into multiple sections.[2] It blooms between June and August.[2] The flowers are composed of short sepals and longer, erect stamens.[8][9] The sepals are actually white, but the multiple erect, yellow stamens, give the flower a yellow appearance.[7] Later, three fruits are formed from each flower head.[2]
Phytochemistry
The plant contains an enzyme called pavine N-methyltransferase, which modifies a variety of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids including the eponymous alkaloid pavine.[10] Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids like pavine often have a variety of pharmacological actions, and as a result some have medical uses such as analgesic or anticancer effects while others have significant toxicity. T. flavum also contains another benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, thalidezine, which is also present in other Thalictrum species.[11]
It has naturalised in the UK, and found in southern and western England, as well as in Scotland and Ireland.[2][7]
Habitat
It is found generally in grasslands,[18] marshy fields, fens and riverbanks.[6][7]
Ecology
It is pollinated mainly by flies and bees, with wind dispersal of the seeds.[2]
The larva of the Perizoma sagittata (Marsh Carpet moth) are found on the plant, eating the seeds and the flowers.[5]
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource on www.skud.info). 2012 (Kulturvaxtdatabas)
Botanical Society of the British Isles BSBI taxon database (on-line resource). (BSBI)
Chinese Academy of Sciences Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae. 1959- (F China)
Davis, P. H., ed. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands. 1965-1988 (F Turk)
Euro+Med Editorial Committee Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource). (EuroMed Plantbase)
Greuter, W. et al., eds. Med-Checklist. 1984- (L Medit)
Huxley, A., ed. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening. 1992 (Dict Gard)
Jalas, J. & J. Suominen Atlas florae europaeae. 1972- (Atlas Eur)
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. Flora SSSR. 1934-1964 (F USSR)