Photo at right of Anemone
multifida from Saddle Mountain, Coast Range, Oregon. Note the numerous hairs
on the stem and leaves and the rusty color on the outer surfaces of the sepals.
This attractive anemone is difficult to distinguish from drummond's anemone (A. drummondii). The latter is usually shorter and more cushion-like, less hairy, and with single flowers per stem possible. Cliff Anemone is taller, with two flowers per stem possible.
The basal leaves are divided into several elliptical leaflets. The basal leaves also have long petioles. A whorl of leaves is found at midstem in addition. These latter stem leaves lack the long petioles. The leaf blades are not completely ternate and have segments broader than 2 mm.
The flowers are actually 5-9 white to purplish, or occasionally yellow, orange or red sepals. The coloration is especially prominent on the outer surface of the sepals. Petals are lacking. The sepals are oblong-elliptic in shape and range from 7-15 mm long. The yellow stamens and greenish pistils are centrally located and both are numerous. The styles are 1-1.5 mm long with thickened bases and are pink or red in color. The fruits are silky plumes attached to a single achene. This arrangement allows for wind dispersal of the seeds.
This is a fine wildflower for the rock garden, and seems to be very hardy in lowland, west of the Cascades gardens!Cliff anemone is found in varied habitats, from open, exposed ridge tops, to open forests..
Cliff anemone is widely distributed in mountainous areas throughout the Pacific Northwest.
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