Nick from Fort St. John, British Columbia, sent in this photograph of a prairie crocus (or pasqueflower) taken in the Peace River region in the early spring. After reading about BPotD in the National Post, Nick was inspired to send this little gem along to be identified and shared. I was quite happy to oblige, as its scientific name was one of the first I had ever learned. Many thanks, Nick!
I suppose I should have held onto this photograph (since I don't have one of my own for this species) until March 16, 2006. That day is the one-hundredth anniversary of this plant receiving Royal Assent to be adopted as the floral emblem of Manitoba, after having been selected by school children of the province. After the blizzards of last week, though, I think Manitoba readers might appreciate this harbinger of spring as a reminder that winter will ultimately pass.
If you search for more information on this plant, you ought to be aware that it has a number of scientific names (synonyms). Of these, the one used most often as an alternative is Pulsatilla patens subsp. multifida, a taxonomic view which places this plant in a different genus in part due to the long plumose achene beaks seen when the plant is in fruit. Phylogenetic analyses, however, suggest that Pulsatilla should be subsumed into Anemone. For a discussion on the topic, see the entry on the genus Anemone in the Flora of North America (you can also read more about Anemone patens var. multifida in the FNA).
Nature resource link: It might seem a bit odd, but I'm going to link to an earlier BPotD. Picea sitchensis 'Bentham's Sunlight' was originally written to coincide with the release of John Vaillant's book “The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness and Greed” (ISBN: 0393058875). Two weeks ago, the book received the 2005 Governor General's Literary Award for Non-Fiction. If you haven't read the original post and accompanying resources (and the book), it's a fascinating story with a UBC Botanical Garden connection.
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
Anemone patens var. multifida - Z4, RHS Index of Garden Plants, Griffiths
Great photo, Nick and lovely view of the BC Peace country in the background. Another proof that the loveliest gardens are those which are nature-made!
This is another instance where the Index of Garden Plants is off. Prairie crocuses grow at a minimum to zone 2, considering their native distribution.
This is one of the most beautiful photos I have
ever seen and I thank the photographer and Daniel
for this site.
Cynthia~~~
I'm far from convinced that including Pulsatilla in Anemone makes good sense - Pulsatilla looks to be a good genus, and even more so ditto for Hepatica.
If Anemone without these is paraphyletic, then it would make more sense to split it up into several smaller genera that are monophyletic - certainly A. nemorosa (which I presume is the type species of the genus) and e.g. A. hupehensis don't sit well together in one genus.
The prairie crocus photo was so beautiful! I do have a soft spot for those anemones!
Jen COdy
Beautiful photo. I'd like someone to explain to me the difference between Anemone patens and Pulsatilla grandis which is a native flower in Europe. They look so much alike, and both are blooming in the spring. Thank you in advance.
Kat