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Species Details
Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium Read more about this collection »
LeavesAlternate, 2 to 3 pinnate, leaflets egg-shaped, 3-9 cm long, margins cleft and toothed, net venation
FlowersInflorescence a raceme, 2-17 cm, 25 or more flowers; flowers radially symmetric, sepals 3- 5, distinct, 2-4.5 mm, circular, whitish green; petals 5-10, distinct, 2-4.5 mm, spatula-shaped to wedge-shaped, clawed, cream coloured; stamens 15-50, inserted on receptacle, filaments thread-like; pistils 1, ovary superior
Fruits and SeedsBerry red or white, ellipsoid to spherical, 5-11 mm, several-seeded, poisonous; seeds dark brown to reddish brown, cone- to wedge-shaped, wringled, 3-3.5 mm
Scientific Name
Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
Common Name
red and white baneberry
General Description
Perennial herb; stem branched, erect, 40-100 cm tall, sparsely-hairy
Leaves
Alternate, 2 to 3 pinnate, leaflets egg-shaped, 3-9 cm long, margins cleft and toothed, net venation
Flowers
Inflorescence a raceme, 2-17 cm, 25 or more flowers; flowers radially symmetric, sepals 3- 5, distinct, 2-4.5 mm, circular, whitish green; petals 5-10, distinct, 2-4.5 mm, spatula-shaped to wedge-shaped, clawed, cream…
Inflorescence a raceme, 2-17 cm, 25 or more flowers; flowers radially symmetric, sepals 3- 5, distinct, 2-4.5 mm, circular, whitish green; petals 5-10, distinct, 2-4.5 mm, spatula-shaped to wedge-shaped, clawed, cream coloured; stamens 15-50, inserted on receptacle, filaments thread-like; pistils 1, ovary superior
Fruits and Seeds
Berry red or white, ellipsoid to spherical, 5-11 mm, several-seeded, poisonous; seeds dark brown to reddish brown, cone- to wedge-shaped, wringled, 3-3.5 mm
Phenology
Flowers from May-June
Notes
Medical uses:
The liquid resulting from boiling the roots of A. rubra was used as a cold remedy by the Blackfoot.
A mixture of A.rubra roots with spruce needles was used to treat stomach ailments
Range/Distribution
Alberta: Widespread
CAN (BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT); USA (AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY)
Citation
Page Citation for Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
Page Citation
"Species Details - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd., University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/1-5344/12-69717. Accessed 06 Jul. 2024.
Specimen Information
There are 156 specimens of this Species.
85601 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Rainy Ridge
Date Collected1977-07-01
79246 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Kananaskis Country, Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, King Creek
Date Collected1977-06-25
26474 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Sunnybrook
Date Collected1968-05-29
25565 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Buck Lake
Date Collected1968-05-29
23345 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Long Lake Provincial Park
Date Collected1967-07-24
21914 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Lac La Biche, Long Island
Date Collected1967-05-31
8601 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Ellerslie
Date Collected1927-08-01
8604 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Pyramid Lake
Date Collected1939-06-11
8597 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park, Mount Norquay
Date Collected1915-07
21374 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Vermilion
Date Collected1956-06-04
8596 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Edmonton
Date Collected1915-05-20
8599 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Edmonton
Date Collected1923-05-28
8602 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Caribou Mountains
Date Collected1950-08-07
8595 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park
Date Collected1953-08-07
8607 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place Collectedunknown
Date Collected1895-05-25
8598 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Cypress Hills
Date Collected1950-07-23
21913 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Lac La Biche, Big Island
Date Collected1967-06-01
23472 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Primrose Lake
Date Collected1967-06-21
40911 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Spring Creek
Date Collected1969-07-27
70732 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Waterton Lakes National Park
Date Collected1941-06-01
30432 - Actaea rubra (Aiton) Willd.
University of Alberta Vascular Plant Herbarium
Common Namered and white baneberry
Place CollectedNorth America: Canada, Alberta, Wabash Creek
Date Collected1970-08-24