ROSACEAE ROSE FAMILY 
WHITE AVENS 
Geum canadense Jacq. 
This plant is common in shaded places, widely distributed 
along forest borders throughout most of the eastern United 
States and Canada, and blooms from June to August. It is 
common in rich open wood- 
lands of Illinois. 
The slender branching 
stems are often covered 
with soft hairs but may be 
entirely smooth as shown. 
They grow 18-30 inches 
high and bear alternate 
leaves which are 3 or 5- 
lobed or unlobed. In ad- 
dition to the stem leaves 
there is a cluster of basal 
leaves which have long 
petioles and are 3-lobed or 
pinnately 3 or 5-divided into 
unequal segments, some- 
times with smaller  seg- 
ments on the petioles. 
The green calyx is 
s-lobed and has a bractlet 
in each sinus. The 5 small 
petals are white and the 
numerous yellow-tipped stamens surround the central cluster 
of green pistils. The reflexed calyx lobes persist on the fruits, 
which are akenes on a cylindrical receptacle as shown. The per- 
sistent styles are jointed and hooked so that they readily cling 
to clothing or the fur of animals. 
There are two yellow-flowered Avens common in Illinois. 
One is the Yellow Avens, Geum strictum Ait., which grows in 
swamps and moist meadows and blooms in July and August. The 
other is the Spring Avens, Geum vernum (Raf.) T. & G., which 
grows in shaded places and blooms from April to June. Its 
cluster of fruits is stalked and so raised well above the persistent 
calyx. The North American distribution of these species is about 
the same, being generally Ontario to Tennessee and Texas. The 
Yellow Avens ranges farther, however, to Newfoundland, British 
Columbia and New Mexico. 
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