Notes on Hepatica acutiloba

                                                                           

    Hepatica acutiloba DC. – sharp lobed Hepatica

syn. Anemone acutiloba (DC.) Laws (Flora of N. America)

Hepatica acutiloba, the sharp lobed hepatica, is one of the first species to bloom in the forests of eastern North America. As the name implies is characterized by sharp lobed leaves. This is the main distinguishing characteristic from H. americana, the round lobed leaved Hepatica.

I will insist a bit more on this: “The leaf lobes are acute or acuminate, with the middle lobe 70-90% of total blade length; involucral bracts +/- acute” (FNA). Sometimes when the lobes are acute instead of acuminate, it’s a bit more difficult to distinguish it; when in doubt, see the footnote about how to measure the leaves (1). Quite in a few occasions I was in doubt to name some plants H. acutiloba, maybe because intermediate forms are present.
The new foliage can be reddish- bronze when emerging, but not always; villous in various degrees (with long, soft hairs).

Also referring to the leaves from Flora of Michigan: “There are frequently small additional lobes on the leaves of this species”. It is rather the exception than the rule in SW Ontario.

H. acutiloba grows in rich beech-maple forests (oaks & other species possible); rarely in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. For cultivation it is a better choice if someone really wants to grow a Hepatica in a slightly moist location.

About  fragrance

I read about this for the first time in the excellent article published in AGS Journal (vol. 83 No.3) by Michael Meyers; he writes “some plants have a strong fragrance”. After sniffing every H. acutiloba I encountered in the last years, I can say it is true that some forms of H. acutiloba are fragrant; some more than others, some not at all!

Forms of Hepatica acutiloba

A while ago there were 5 recognized forms for H. acutiloba (2). From a taxonomic point of view they are obsolete nowadays, but I think from an ornamental point of view they are important and could be used in breeding. Therefore, in the seeds shop, when possible to collect seeds from isolated specimens, they are offered marked as such.

When plants of various colours grow together close by the possibility of the seedlings to come true to form is lower.

Flora of NA states that the regular form of Hepatica acutiloba is blue flowered (H. acutiloba fo. acutiloba). However, it seems though that at least in Southwestern Ontario, the white and pink forms are predominant.

Light purple flowered specimens, more likely than blue, are encountered occasionally. Below is shown a specimen growing among what I call the ‘pastel mix’ population.

Hepatica acutiloba fo. albiflora Ralph Hoffm. – the leaves can be variable and the flowers white; it is usually quite vigorous in habit. The second image is the form offered as: H. acutiloba – white/ fragrant, being the most fragrant form from all; the flowers actually have a blush overlay when newly opened.

Hepatica acutiloba fo. rosea Ralph Hoffm. – has pink flowers in various shades and the leaves usually exhibit very nice veined markings. I noticed the intensity of the colour may vary with the weather just like with Corydalis solida and after the amount of sun/shade received (more intense in colder springs/shade).

I don’t know if specimens with pink blushed flowers should be included in fo. rosea but I like them very much. Probably they should be put into a Rosea Group. Some are light-pink, others have white flowers with just a dab of pink mixed in, or are pink striped.

Among the ‘pastel mix’ population (see the Shop) there are many beautiful light pink/striped forms and they are also fragrant. Not to mention that ‘Purple Star’ and a nice white multipetal were found among it!

Hepatica acutiloba fo. diversiloba Raymond – this variety has leaves with 5-7 lobes instead of the usual 3, hence the name. The character is not always consistent and often on the same plant both 3-lobed and 5-7-lobed leaves are present. Young seedlings may not display the character for 1-2 years.

For a few years I only saw this form with white flowers. The leaves can also develop beautiful veined markings. Then, one nice clump was found with blue flowers. The leaves are in that borderline area between acutiloba/americana (read more about Intermediate forms). Also, some of the flowers seem to be sterile producing very little seeds.

The last described form is Hepatica acutiloba fo. plena Fernald. I heard reports about H. acutiloba with double flowers found in the wild in Ontario (Ottawa Valley area), but personally I never encountered one. On the other hand, multi-petal forms are showing up here and there.

Unisexuate forms of H. acutiloba (‘maiden’ plants) are not as often seen as in the case of H. americana. These forms are especially useful for those wishing to do controlled pollination.

Hepatica acutiloba enjoys the same habitat as H. americana, growing under deciduous (rarely) mix woods and thus receiving plenty of light at flowering time and in late fall/winter. I noticed it can also be present in moist micro-habitats where usually H. americana is not often found.
One year I was surprised to see it growing as a true rock garden plant in crevices of large boulders.

All in all, it is more vigorous than H. americana and after my own experience much easier to grow from seeds, maybe because the seedlings grow much faster and are not that fussy if the pots remain too wet at times.

Named varieties (BotanyCa) and collection numbers are listed on a separate page: Named forms and collection numbers.

(1) For the ID of H. acutiloba using measurements of the leaves follow this guideline:  “Proportions given in the key for the middle lobe of the leaf are calculated by measuring the lobe (from the apex to a line connecting the bases of the sinuses on each side) and the total length of the blade (apex to the summit of the unexpanded petiole). In the case of ambiguous measurements, check more than one leaf on a plant” – Flora of Michigan.

(2) Tropicos – see references for the publications of the H. acutiloba forms.