Plant of the day is: Gillenia stipulata or American ipecac
Again, very few CC licensed images (what you see here is it). Let me google that for you, however, so you can see the really neat detail of this plant. I believe I actually ran across this plant recently and thought maybe it was Filipendula rubra. The placement of it (well into the woods) was all wrong now I see. If the USDA website can be believed F. rubra is only found in St. Francois and Reynolds county in Missouri. Hmmm, that sounds like a fun hunt. But this is NOT Filipendula, though the leaves do conjure it a bit.
Don't sweat all the details, if you love it, just pay attention and try to remember as much as you can and it'll all lock into place eventually.
Taxonomy: A memeber of the Rosaceae family, which is quite a large family. Other members of the Rose family include ...everything. Pretty much. Alchemilla, Rubus, Cotoneaster, Malus, Pyrus, Prunus, take your pick. Taxonomists have had a field day of confusion with this family much of which due to molecular analysis of DNA. Potentilla and Fragaria are on the cusp of being merged, for example. Any day now. They were likely separated back in the day because the receptacle of strawberries (Fragaria) is edible while that of Potentilla's is not. The distinction is based on 'folk taxonomy' (Walters 1962) more than actually morphology.
If Fragaria, Potentilla, and Sibbaldia were all thrown together they would comprise all the Rosaceae with a a double calyx, distinct 1-seeded carpels, and styles not transformed into long feathery beaks or awns. Seems to me a much better classification than "Cain't eat it so I reckon it should be different".
Did I mention Gillenia itself is very small with just two North American species for just two species? G. trifoliata is the mountain Indian physic and is by far the more popular in terms of horticulture.
Description: Let's talk about Gillenia for a bit though shall we? Gillenia stipulata is a perennial growing to 1.2m. It has white hermaphroditic flowers (stamens and pistils) that occur May through June. Flowers have 5 petals that are acuminate and about 20 stamens that occur at the edge of the hypanthium. Hypanthium? A cool structure. Often called the floral cup or in the instance of members in the Rose family the "hip". Structures of hypanthium play key roles in pollination and fertilization, really cool stuff depending on the species. Back to Gillenia though, it has 5 distinct pistils and white styles. Also has 5 sepals. For a further great description and great images see the missouriplants.com writeup. Almost didn't mention the stipules. G. stipulata ...stipules. The difference between the two species is, essentially, that G. stipulata has persistent stipules and G. trifoliata does not. Stipules are growths at the base of the leafstalk (petiole).
Habitat/Culture: Found fairly widely throughout the state in open woods, roadsides, etc. Often found in mesic soils. Found mostly throughout the midwest, it draws the line at eastern Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Hardiness is in the neighborhood of zone 4-8. Considered significantly rare in North Carolina and prone to extirpation.
Fun facts!: So named American ipecac because the plant was used by Native Americans as a laxative and emetic. It is not today's modern Ipecac, THAT comes from Cephaelis ipecacuanha in South America.
Facts I find interesting that you probably dont....: Gillenia was almost axed because it was deemed too similar to another genus Gillena (a synonym for Clethra) and might be confused. The International Botanical Congress, however, ruled that Gillena was not validly published and so Gillenia wins out. Otherwise it would have been Porteranthus (synonym) because it was validly published but ultimately superfluous and illegitimate, which sounds like it would hurt Porteranthus's feelings. Poor Poor Porteranthus.
Public Domain by Britton & Brown 1913.
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