LESSER MEADOW-RUE
Thalictrum minus
Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae] 
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Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae]
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flower
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petals
stem
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toxicity
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| With leaves a little like those of Maidenhair Fern but with flowers. |
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| An open cluster of flowers at the top. |
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| A mass of tri-lobed leaves sprout on stalks from the thin stem. |
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The leaves are much like those of Common Meadow-Rue and have three lobes, glaucous green to a reddening green, and slightly asymmetric. |
_2011_07_02_Hightown_Waterloo_canal_Liverpool_056p2.jpg)
| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The flowers consist mainly of a dozen or so long, drooping white stamens with long axial yellow anthers. |
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| There are four yellowish petals, often tinged purple as here. Fresh anthers look more like miniature bananas. |
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Fresh anthers look more like miniature bananas. |
_2011_07_02_Hightown_Waterloo_canal_Liverpool_074p7.jpg)
| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Leaves are 3- to 4-pinnate and with three or more rounded lobes. Note trefoil nature of the leaves. |
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| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Obverse of leaflets are embossed with prominent veins, and are whiter. |
_2011_07_02_Hightown_Waterloo_canal_Liverpool_082p8x.jpg)
| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
_2011_07_02_Hightown_Waterloo_canal_Liverpool_085p2.jpg)
| 2nd July 2011, Hightown, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Stems are reddish and round but sometimes with angular facets on the more substantial stems lower down. |
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Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature :
No relation to : Somewhat surprisingly, both Common Meadow-Rue and Lesser Meadow-rue are members of the Buttercup Family. Leaves reminiscent of those of Maidenhair Fern the garden plant. The plant is very variable and stands between 25cm to a metre tall, often zig-zagging on its thin and wiry stems. It grows on shingle or gravelly coastal shores and on coastal dunes, limestone rocks, mountain ledges and grassland. It is a garden plant that is widely naturalised, found here on MOD firing range land backing onto houses.
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BSBI maps
 Thalictrum (Meadow-Rues) |
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Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae]
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