Actaea rubra : Red Baneberry

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Ranunculaceae (Crowfoot/Buttercup Family)

Genera: Actaea (Baneberry) (Gk. Actaia=the elder tree; probably referring to the simmilar shape of leaves)

Species: rubra (Lat. ruber=red)

English Name(s):

Red Baneberry, Poisonberry

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Herbaceous plants.
• Sparsely pubescent (hairy).
• Stems 1 to several 50-100cm tall from thick fleshy rhizomes (rootstalk).

Leaves:

• 2-3all on the stem, thin and very large, alternate,
• Ternately divided. Ultimate segments cleft and sharply toothed.
• Blades ovate to laneolate or obovate in shape.

Reproductive Parts:

• Pistil (female part) single.
• Flowers numerous, small, in stout terminal raceme.
• Petals, 5-10, white, 2.0-3.5 mm long.
• Sepals 3-5, soon falling, 2-3 mm long, whitish or purpleish.
• Stamens (male parts) numerous and longer than the petals.

Seed:

• Berries bright red, sometimes white or rarley pink, 5-10 mm in diameter.
• Fruit are berry-like. Poisonous.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Though it does not look to simmilar to any other plant with berries, you do not want to confuse this species with any other, as the berries are poisonous.

Physiology:

• All parts of Actaea rubra (Baneberry) are poisonous, especially the roots and berries.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Flowers bloom in May.
• Produces ripe (poisonous) berries in early July.

Animal Uses:

• Although the berries are poisonous to us, many birds and small mammals enjoy them.

Habitat:

• Woods, streambanks, and open slopes.

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Traditional Gwich'in:

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