Roundleaf Liverleaf (Hepatica americana (DC.) Ker Gawl.)
Also known as round-lobed hepatica; also classified as Anemone americana (DC.) H.Hara, Anemonoides americana (DC.) Holub, Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Pursh) Steyerm..
This species is sometimes treated as a species but classified in either of the Anemone or Anemonoides genera. It is also sometimes treated as a subspecies of other species, usually hepatica (Hepatica nobilis); we follow POWO's classification scheme which treats that species as only occurring in Eurasia.
↑Range - Expand
| Legend | Color |
| Native | |
| Native or Not Present |
This tentative map is based on our own research. It may have limited data on Canada and/or Mexico, and there is some subjectivity in our assignment of plants as introduced vs. expanded. Read more in this blog post.
This species is also native to eastern Canada; we have yet to build this portion of its map.
↑Habitat
Found in open forests, particularly around bluffs or rock outcroppings. It prefers mesic conditions but can range onto both dry sites or better-drained portions of floodplains.
In the west of its range, it is usually on acidic soil, but in the southeast of its range it tends to be restricted to base-rich soils on drier sites, but ranges into acidic soils on mesic to moister sites.
↑Life Cycle
This species is an herbaceous perennial.
↑Uses
This species is sometimes planted in shade gardens, where it is valued for its showy flower. It is not the easiest plant to grow but can thrive in ideal conditions.
↑Notes
Some sources refer to the common name "liverwort" for this plant; we recommend avoiding this term as it more frequently applies to Marchantiophyta, a division of non-vascular land plants. We prefer the common name "roundleaf liverleaf" over "round-lobed hepatica" because Hepatica refers to a scientific genus, and taxonomy can be subject to dispute, uncertainty, or change, and this species is not always classified in that genus.
↑Links & External Resources
• Hepatica americana | Go Botany (About This Site)
• Anemone americana | Flora of North America (About This Site)
• Roundleaf Liverleaf | Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder (About This Site)
• Hepatica americana | Missouri Plants (About This Site)
• Round-lobed Hepatica | Maryland Biodiversity Project (About This Site)
• Anemone americana (Round-lobed Hepatica) | Minnesota Wildflowers (About This Site)
• Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa - Liverwort | Biota of North America Project (BONAP) (About This Site)
• Hepatica americana (DC.) Ker Gawl. | Plants of the World Online (POWO) (About This Site)
