Flowers: Has anywhere between (and including) 5 to 10 petal-like white or pinkish sepals.

Leaves: It has three un-evenly and deeply divided leaves, some sets so deeply divided as to look like three or five separate leaves.

Protoanemonin, a pentadienoic lactone, is present in the sap of all members of the Buttercup Family as an inert glycoside called Ranunculin. When in contact with the skin, enzymes release the Protoanemonin, an irritant which causes erythema and blistering of the skin.

The sap of Wood Anemone, amongst some other members of the Buttercup Familyand Pasqueflower, also contains the toxic compound Anemonin, which when tasted results in a burning sensation in the mouth. Ingesting Wood Anemone can induce nausea, tingling, numbness, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing difficulties, heart attack and death; symptoms similar to that of aconite poisoning from Monkshood, although not as poisonous. It has found possible use in medicine for skin and nervous disorders and eye problems. The anemonin dissipates on drying the plant. Note that anemonin consists of two fused protoanemonin molecules, and is thus a dimer. In a preparation with Quinine sulphate, anemonin is used to treat thalassemia.

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