Fendler meadowrue commemorates August Fendler, of St. Louis, 

 who first collected it in the mountains near Santa Fe. Fendler's 

 collections in New Mexico, 1846-47, formed the basis of Dr. Gray's 

 well-known book Plantae Fendlerianae. This erect perennial herb, 

 with divided leaves and small, greenish flowers, is one of the most 

 widely distributed western species of Thalictrum, ranging from 

 Montana and Idaho to California and the mountains of western 

 Texas. It is often abundant locally, and occurs chiefly in moist, 

 loam soils in aspen or among shrubs, although also found in open 

 exposures and, to some extent, in ponderosa pine, Engelmann spruce, 

 and other coniferous timber. 



On properly grazed ranges Fendler meadowrue is practically 

 worthless to poor in palatability for cattle and poor to fair for sheep. 

 On very heavily grazed ranges it is sometimes almost completely 

 utilized, but ordinarily the close cropping of this species indicates 

 overstocking. 



MEADOWRUES (Thalic'trumspp.) 



Meadowrues belong to the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) arid 

 compose a genus of about 85 species of erect, perennial herbs with 

 alternate compound leaves. The species are most abundant in tem- 

 perate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with only a few occur- 

 ring in the Andes, in India, and in South Africa. Approximately 13 

 species grow in the Western States, the majority inhabiting the 

 Rocky Mountains. These western meadowrues prefer rich, moist 

 soils and some shade and appear in greatest abundance in aspen and 

 among shrubs, although they are often found in full sunlight in 

 meadows and parks. 



Meadowrues are much alike in general appearance; but besides 

 differing in flower and fruit characters, they are chiefly dissimilar 

 in size, leafiness of stems, shape, size, and texture of leaflets, and 

 color of roots. Field determination of species is not always feasible ; 

 fortunately it is seldom, if ever, required for range management 

 purposes, as these plants have practically analogous palatability. 

 They are abundant locally and, despite relatively low palatability, 

 doubtless supply considerable forage. In general, their palatability 

 is practically worthless to poor for cattle and poor to fair for sheep. 

 However, in some instances, they may be utilized rather closely, 

 especially on ranges which are heavily grazed early in the season. 

 Excessive use of meadowrues generally indicates overstocking. 

 Deer crop these species slightly; possibly they are also utilized 

 by elk. 



Meadowrue leaves occur both basally and alternately on the plant 

 stem and resemble those of columbine, a closely related genus; they 

 are divided several times and usually in threes (ternately decom- 

 pound). The leaflets are usually 3-lobed and more or less toothed; 

 and although they vary in size and shape in the different species, 

 the accompanying illustration of Fendler meadowrue is more or less 

 typical of meadowrue leaves. The flowers of meadowrues lack 

 petals and, although individually small, are often showy collectively 

 in terminal clusters (panicles or occasionally racemes) ; the early- 

 falling, petallike floral bracts (sepals) are greenish, whitish, or 



