''Coptis aspleniifolia'', commonly known as fernleaf goldthread or spleenwort-leaf goldthread, is found in the northern two-thirds of

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, in

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

, and along the Cascades into Washington and is a native plant of the

temperate rain forest Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive heavy rain. Temperate rain forests occur in oceanic moist regions around the world: the Pacific temperate rain forests of North American Paci ...

s of the region. It is often found in the understory of the herb layer of

coniferous forests Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant ...

as part of a multilayered canopy system on

gleysolic A gleysol is a wetland soil (hydric soil) that, unless drained, is saturated with groundwater for long enough to develop a characteristic colour pattern. The pattern is essentially made up of reddish, brownish, or yellowish colours at surfaces o ...

or organic soils. Also found in wetwoods and bogs, the fernleaf goldthread is not invasive or poisonous. The plant is considered common and widespread in its native range. An

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

, the fernleaf goldthread is mostly hairless and five to 30 centimeters in height. Its leaves resemble those of

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

s, are all basal, dark-green and glossy and divided into five or more segments. The fernleaf goldthread blooms in mid-spring with a pale greenish white or yellow flower. It has two or three nodding flowers per stalk, each with five to seven

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s and five to seven thin petals. The fernleaf goldthread is a member of the

buttercup family Ranunculaceae (buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are ''Ranunculus'' (600 species), ''Delphinium' ...

. The plant gets its common name from its leaves which are structured similar to the common fern and for its roots, which are vibrant golden hue when peeled. It plays several roles in the ecosystem, serving as a protective ground cover, keeping moisture in the ground by providing shade, and providing a food source for deer.

External links

USDA Plants Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1666287 aspleniifolia Flora of Alaska Flora of British Columbia Flora without expected TNC conservation status