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- All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
- Actaea pachypoda
Actaea pachypoda — doll's-eyes, white baneberry
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Facts
White baneberry, also called doll's eyes, makes a beautiful addition to the native plant garden, with attractive foliage and long-lasting cluster of white fruits. The fruits are toxic to humans. The Blackfoot used a decoction of the roots as a remedy for colds and coughs. There is a red-fruited form (formerly called Actaea pachypoda forma rubrocarpa) that is generally rare but may be frequent in some locations.
Habitat
Forests
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
- NA
- Leaf type
- the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are seven or more petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Stamen number
- 13 or more
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is fleshy
- Fruit length
- 6.5–9 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower number
- At least 25
- Flower petal color
- NA
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- NA
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are not fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Hairs on inflorescence
- the axis of the inflorescence has hairs entirely without glands
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 0 mm
- Inflorescence length
- 20–170 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Length of flower stalk
- 10–30 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 1
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are seven or more petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 0
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
- white
- Petal appearance
- NA
- Petal base
- the petal narrows abruptly at the base
- Petal folds or pleats
-
- NA
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal length
- 2–4.5 mm
- Petal nectaries
- the petals do not have nectaries
- Petal number
- 4–10
- Petal shape
-
- the petal outline is obovate (roughly egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the petal outline is spatulate (spoon-shaped; narrow near the base, then suddenly widening to a rounded tip)
- Petal tip shape
-
- the petal tip is retuse (with a blunt or rounded apex and a notch at the center)
- the petal tip is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- NA
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals resemble petals in color and texture
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal color
-
- NA
- green to brown
- white
- Sepal length
- 2–4.5 mm
- Sepal number
- 3–5
- Sepal relative length
- NA
- Sepal shape
- the sepal outline is roughly circular, as wide as long
- Sepal uniformity
- all the sepals are about the same size
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spur length
- 0 mm
- Spur number
- NA
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
- Stamen number
- 13 or more
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Style length
- 0 mm
- Style relative length
- NA
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
-
- red
- white
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
- NA
- Capsule splitting
- NA
- Carpel beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit beak length
- Up to 1 mm
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is round in cross-section
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 6.5–9 mm
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- NA
- Fruit shape
-
- the fruit is ellipsoid (widest in the middle and tapering to each end)
- the fruit is spherical
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is fleshy
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a berry (fleshy, with the wall enclosing one or more sections, with two or more seeds)
- Hair type on fruit
- NA
- Hairs on fruit
- the fruits are not hairy
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- the ripe berries are mostly one color without spots or streaks
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 3.4–4.5 mm
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Seed surface
- the seed has a surface characteristic other than those listed
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a caudex (the root mass is firm and hardened at the top)
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteoles
- the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Floral bract texture
- the floral bracts are green, with a leaf-like texture
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- the petiole has no hairs on it
- Hairs on underside of leaf
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- yes
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- the base of the leaf blade is rounded
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- Up to 120 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)
- Leaf blade width
- Up to 120 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk base
- the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem
- Leaf teeth and lobes
-
- the leaf blade margin has rounded teeth
- the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand
- Leaf tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets
- Leaf types
- NA
- Leaf variation
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaflet petiolules
- the leaflets of the compound leaf have petiolules
- Leaves per node
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- the pinnately compound leaves have a terminal leaflet (and usually have an odd number of leaflets per axis)
- Specific leaf type
-
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis, and each lobe itself has rows of lobes on each side of the lobe's central axis
- the leaf has lobes that themselves have lobes, and these secondary lobes also have lobes; there may be more than three levels of lobes
- Stipule edges
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
- Stipule length
- 0 mm
- Stipule shape
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
- forests
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Direction of stem hairs
- NA
- Flowering stem width
- 10 mm
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
- 0 mm
- Plant height
- 40–80 cm
- Stem bloom
- the stem has a powdery or waxy film on it that can be rubbed away
- Stem hair distribution
- NA
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem succulence
- the stems are not succulent
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Occurs only in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: UPL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4S5)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Actaea pachypoda Ell. N
white baneberry. Actaea alba, auct. non (L.) P. Mill. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Forests, usually mesic, deciduous types. Red-fruited plants (forma rubrocarpa), though generally rare, can be locally frequent.
1×3. Actaea pachypoda × Actaea rubra → Actaea ×ludovici Boivin is a very rare baneberry hybrid known from MA, VT; also reported from RI by George (1997), but specimens are unknown. The hybrids are variable and show different combinations of character states (e.g., white berries on plants that appear close to A. rubra but also show more prominent stigmas and less pubescence on the abaxial leaf blades, red or pink berries on plants that appear close to A. pachypoda but also show more pubescence on the abaxial leaf surface). These plants frequently show some sterile fruits.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Actaea rubra:
- berry usually red (white forms are common in some areas), on a slender stalk 0.3-0.7 mm in diameter, and stigma narrower than ovary (vs. A. pachypoda, with the berry usually white (red forms are common in some areas), on a thick stalk 1-2.5 mm in diameter, and stigma wider than ovary).
Synonyms
- Actaea alba, of authors not (L.) P. Mill.