Subalpine. Wetlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 18, 2005.

Globe Flowers give us practice in seeing things for what they really are.  You stand in an extensive patch of Marsh Marigolds and after gazing at them in awe, you become aware that some of them do not look quite like Marsh Marigolds.  That’s because they aren’t.  A few Globe Flowers often grow in the extensive Marsh Marigold fields.  Globe Flower’s leaves are palmate and cut deeply, the five flower petals (versus seven or eight of Marsh Marigold) are significantly broader and more rounded than those of Marsh Marigold’s, the flower stalk is taller, and the numerous yellow stamens give the flower centers a stronger yellow cast.  Still the two are such close cousins and grow so intermixed that they continually fool us.

These plants flower when only four or five inches tall and the flower stalk elongates, often reaching 15-24 inches.  Plants in fruit can reach 30 inches.

"Troll" is Latin for "globe" and "lax" is Latin for "loose".

Weber places Trollius in Helleboraceae, not Ranunculaceae.

Subalpine. Wetlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 18, 2005.

Linnaeus named this genus in 1753.  Asa Gray first named the species Trollius laxus variety albiflorus in 1862 and Rydberg  renamed it Trollius albiflorus in 1900.

Subalpine. Wetlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Pass Creek Trail, Engineer Mountain, August 2, 2005.

Trollius laxus flower petals turn an unusual light brown and curl as they age and seed heads develop. 

Trollius laxus leaves are deeply cut and then cut again.

Trollius laxus is rhizomatous, i.e., it sends out thickened, lateral roots that often give rise to new plants.  Thus there are commonly a number of stems and plants often grow in dense colonies.  Look for these plants at high altitudes in moist meadows and open forests.

Subalpine. Wetlands, openings, meadows. Spring, summer.
Sharkstooth Trail, July 18, 2005.

Gone to seed.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Trollius laxus