Anemopsis

Scientific name

Anemopsis Hook. & Arn.

Common names

bear root, Yerba Mansa

Family

Saururaceae

Similar genera

Ipomoea, Sphenoclea

Native distribution

North America; southwestern United States into northern Mexico

Species cultivated

Anemopsis californica (Nutt.) Hook. & Arn.

Adventive distribution

none

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

amphibious amphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
marshy herb

Brief description

Perennial. Stoloniferous, rootstock thick, woody, aromatic. Stem hollow. Leaves alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, mostly basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
with some caulinecauline:
(adj) pertaining to or belonging to the stem
; stolons elongate; basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
leaves sheathing, leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
elliptic-oblong, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
, base round to cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
; caulinecauline:
(adj) pertaining to or belonging to the stem
leaves dimorphic; primary leaf sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
, leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
ovate, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
round to acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
, base clasping, with smaller leaves in axilaxil:
(n) the angle between a leaf or branch and the stem or trunk from which it springs
; secondary leaves 1-3, petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
, leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
elliptic, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
rounded to acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
an erect spikespike:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranching inflorescence of sessile flowers or flower clusters on a usually elongated axis
, conicalconical:
(adj) perfectly cone-shaped
, densely-flowered; involucral bracts 5-8, petaloidpetaloid:
(adj) resembling a petal in appearance
, white to reddish. Flowers small, bisexualbisexual:
(adj) having both male and female sexual reproductive structures on one individual or in one flower
; perianthperianth:
(n) collective term for the calyx and corolla of a flower; also used for floral whorl(s) in which the calyx and corolla cannot be resolved; any of the leaves or bracts surrounding the sex organs of bryophytes
absent.

Natural habitat

wet, alkaline, saline, and coastal marsh areas

Additional comments

Anemopsis californica is the sole member of the genus. In addition to being cultivated and sold as a pond plant, it is often used for medicinal purposes.