Great burnet • Sanguisorba officinalis, S. microcephala, S. officinalis ssp. microcephala
{officinalis = plant has medicinal value}
Photo by Kira Hoffman
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Identification
Great burnet is a perennial species in the rose family. It has a smooth 20-80 cm tall stem that may branch along the upper section of its length. The leaves are compound and mostly basal. They are composed of 9-11 leaflets with coarsely-toothed edges, and are green on top and paler in colour underneath. There are some smaller stem leaves with fewer leaflets. The flowers don't have any petals - instead purplish or maroon-coloured sepals form spherical or egg-shaped clusters at the top stem branches. The clusters atop stems have a lollipop-like appearance.
Habitat & Range
Great burnet is found in wetlands such as bogs and swamps in low to middle elevations. It is a common species along the BC coast. Its range stretches from Alaska and Yukon Territory to California; native to North America, but appears to be present in areas of the United Kingdom as well.
Similar Species
The leaves of Sitka burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis) are similar to those of great burnet, and the two could be confused when not in flower. Sitka burnet leaves are egg or oblong in shape, while great burnet leaflets tend to be thinner and fewer per leaf. Menzie's burnet (S. menziesii) is likely a hybrid between Sitka and great burnet, and occurs where the Sitka and great burnet ranges overlap. It has purplish flowers as well, but the flower clusters are longer and thinner than those of great burnet, and the flowers have long stamens that conspicuously stick out of the flower.
Intriguing Info
Though great burnet is native to North America it is listed by the United Kingdom's Wildlife Trusts as a plant of conservation concern. The floodplain habitats in which it is found in the UK include some rare or declining plant and animal species which are threatened due to habitat degradation.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/64549-Sanguisorba-officinalis
Great burnet is a perennial species in the rose family. It has a smooth 20-80 cm tall stem that may branch along the upper section of its length. The leaves are compound and mostly basal. They are composed of 9-11 leaflets with coarsely-toothed edges, and are green on top and paler in colour underneath. There are some smaller stem leaves with fewer leaflets. The flowers don't have any petals - instead purplish or maroon-coloured sepals form spherical or egg-shaped clusters at the top stem branches. The clusters atop stems have a lollipop-like appearance.
Habitat & Range
Great burnet is found in wetlands such as bogs and swamps in low to middle elevations. It is a common species along the BC coast. Its range stretches from Alaska and Yukon Territory to California; native to North America, but appears to be present in areas of the United Kingdom as well.
Similar Species
The leaves of Sitka burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis) are similar to those of great burnet, and the two could be confused when not in flower. Sitka burnet leaves are egg or oblong in shape, while great burnet leaflets tend to be thinner and fewer per leaf. Menzie's burnet (S. menziesii) is likely a hybrid between Sitka and great burnet, and occurs where the Sitka and great burnet ranges overlap. It has purplish flowers as well, but the flower clusters are longer and thinner than those of great burnet, and the flowers have long stamens that conspicuously stick out of the flower.
Intriguing Info
Though great burnet is native to North America it is listed by the United Kingdom's Wildlife Trusts as a plant of conservation concern. The floodplain habitats in which it is found in the UK include some rare or declining plant and animal species which are threatened due to habitat degradation.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/64549-Sanguisorba-officinalis
References
Great Burnet Sanguisorba officinalis. The Wildlife Trusts. Accessed on 16/04/2014.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 188.
Sanguisorba officinalis L. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 16/04/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Great Burnet Sanguisorba officinalis. The Wildlife Trusts. Accessed on 16/04/2014.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P. 188.
Sanguisorba officinalis L. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 16/04/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).