SPECIES:  Hepatica acutiloba

• Introductory
• Distribution and Occurrence
• Management Considerations
• Botanical and Ecological Characteristics
• Fire Ecology
• Fire Effects
• References

Introductory
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba



AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Pavek, Diane S. 1992. Hepatica acutiloba. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). 
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [].




ABBREVIATION : 
HEPACU

SYNONYMS : 
   Hepatica nobilis Schreb. var. acuta


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   HENOA


COMMON NAMES : 
   sharp-lobed hepatica
   sharp-lobed liverleaf


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of sharp-lobed hepatica is
Hepatica acutiloba DC.  There has been disagreement in the literature
about retaining this name.  Steyermark and Steyermark [19] synonymized
this entity as a form of Hepatica nobilis Schreb. var. acuta.  However,
other authors do not agree [6,16].

Five recognized forms are based on differences in leaf lobes and sepal
color [6]:

     Hepatica acutiloba f. acutiloba R. Hoffm.
     Hepatica acutiloba f. diversiloba Raymond
     Hepatica acutiloba f. albiflora R. Hoffm.
     Hepatica acutiloba f. rosea R. Hoffm.     
     Hepatica acutiloba f. plena Fern.


LIFE FORM : 
Forb

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Sharp-lobed hepatica is found in most states east of the Mississippi
River.  Extending from Ontario, Quebec, and Maine [8,15,18], it proceeds
south through the eastern United States to Missouri, Georgia, and
Alabama [9,13,16].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES13  Loblolly - shortleaf pine
   FRES14  Oak - pine
   FRES15  Oak - hickory
   FRES16  Oak - gum - cypress
   FRES17  Elm - ash - cottonwood
   FRES18  Maple - beech - birch


STATES : 
     AL  CT  GA  ID  IL  IA  KY  ME  MA  MI
     MN  NH  NJ  NY  NC  OH  PA  RI  SC  TN
     VT  VA  WV  WI  ON  PQ



BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
NO-ENTRY


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K099  Maple - basswood forest
   K102  Beech - maple forest
   K103  Mixed mesophytic forest
   K106  Northern hardwoods
   K107  Northern hardwoods - fir forest


SAF COVER TYPES : 
    16  Aspen
    24  Hemlock - yellow birch
    25  Sugar maple - beech
    26  Sugar maple - basswood
    27  Sugar maple
    28  Black cherry - maple
    60  Beech - sugar maple
   108  Red maple
   109  Hawthorn


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Field guide to forest habitat types of northern Wisconsin [10].

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba





IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
NO-ENTRY


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
No food value is listed for sharp-lobed hepatica.  A lipid-rich eliasome
is attached to seeds which attracts ants and rodent herbivores [17].


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Projects using sharp-lobed hepatica have not been found in the
literature.  However, as a rhizomatous perennial, it could be used as a
soil stabilizer in shaded habitats.


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Sharp-lobed hepatica is a small, native, rhizomatous perennial, 2 to 7
inches (5-18 cm) tall [18].  Three leaves arise from the plant base.
Leaves are simple but deeply lobed.  The three leaves are longer than
they are wide, with acutely pointed lobe tips and indented (cordate)
bases [6,15,18].  Long, hairy flowerstalks have a single small (0.05-0.1
inch [12-25 mm]) flower.  Achenes are very hairy.


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sharp-lobed hepatica sprouts from short rhizomes, producing small
colonies [15,18]. 

Mature achenes form aggregates.  Seeds are carried away from the parent
plant by ants and rodents.  Ant dispersal is most successful for
establishment in young sparse populations.  Seedling establishment is
low in older dense populations of sharp-lobed hepatica [17].

Seeds have epicotyl dormancy which requires a warm stratification [1].
This is followed by a cold stratification of 2 to 3 months before
cotyledons emerge [1].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Sharp-lobed hepatica is found on topography that varies from gently
rolling hills to bluffs and outcroppings [3].  It occurs on soils of low
fertility and low moisture-holding capacity (e.g. sandy loam) to
calcareous moist upland woods [3,8].  Sharp-lobed hepatica is often
found on north-facing wooded slopes [8].

Species associated with sharp-lobed hepatica are those found in upland
mesic deciduous forests.  Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is often dominant
with red elm (Ulmus rubra) and basswood (Tilia americana) [20].  Of the
numerous herbaceous species, the dominant plants are eastern
springbeauty (Claytonia virginica), catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine),
recurved wakerobin (Trillium recurvatum), common mayapple (Podophyllum
pedatum), and black snakeroot (Sanicula gregaria) [20].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Obligate Climax Series

Sharp-lobed hepatica occurs in late-intermediate to early climax forests
of sugar maple (Acer saccharum), basswood (Tilia americana), yellow
birch (Betula alleghaniensis), and white ash (Fraxinus americana)
[4,20].  Daubenmire [4] also reported sharp-lobed hepatica present in
subclimax associations of red oak (Quercus rubra), white oak (Quercus
alba), and aspen (Populus tremuloides).  Although an early vernal
species, it is shade tolerant.  It occurs infrequently; Brundrett and
Kendrick [3] reported 0.22 percent importance value for sharp-lobed
hepatica in Ontario forests.


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Thick leaves are kept through the winter on this clonal perennial,
allowing photosynthesis to begin quickly in the spring before the canopy
closes [3].  With this physiological jump-start, sharp-lobed hepatica
flowers from February to June throughout its range [6,8,9,13,16,18].
After flowering, the overwintering leaves become senescent, and new
leaves are produced.  The new leaves are more shade tolerant and,
therefore, more efficient at light harvesting [3].  Seeds mature
approximately 1 month after flowering [17].  Sharp-lobed hepatica
remains green when all other herbs have senesced in the fall.

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Occurring in mixed mesophytic forest, sharp-lobed hepatica has evolved
with fire.  The degree of resistance sharp-lobed hepatica has to fire
depends upon the protection its caudex and rhizomes receive from soil
cover.


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Fire effects have not been studied on sharp-lobed hepatica.  It is
probably top-killed by fire.  Rhizomes probably would survive.
Seedlings most likely would be killed.  If the lipid sack (eliasome)
attached to the seed burns, the seed probably dies.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Fire severity and rooting depth of caudex and rhizomes control the
recovery of sharp-lobed hepatica.  Surviving rhizomes probably sprout
and produce leaves postfire.  Sharp-lobed hepatica grows vigorously in
sparsely vegetated areas with freed nutrients (e.g., ant hills high in
nitrogen and phosphorus) [17].  It probably will flower and produce seed
in the first postfire year.  Long-term postfire recovery should be
fairly successful.  Sharp-lobed hepatica reproduces vegetatively by
short rhizomes, ensuring on-site colony growth.  Sexual reproduction
results in seeds that are readily transported by ants and rodents, which
ensures wide areas of dispersal [17].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

REFERENCES
SPECIES: Hepatica acutiloba



REFERENCES : 

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 .  Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
       reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
       associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
       U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p. 
       [434]

 .  Brundrett, Mark C.; Kendrick, Bryce. 1988. The mycorrhizal status, root
       anatomy, and phenology of plants in a sugar maple forest. Canadian
       Journal of Botany. 66(6): 1153-1173.  [14483]

 .  Daubenmire, Rexford F. 1936. The "big woods" of Minnesota: its
       structure, and relation to climate, fire, and soils. Ecological
       Monographs. 6(2): 233-268.  [2697]

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 .  Fernald, Merritt Lyndon. 1950. Gray's manual of botany. [Corrections
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.  Steyermark, J. A.; Steyermark, C. S. 1960. Hepatica in North America.
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.  Struik, Gwendolyn J.; Curtis, J. T. 1962. Herb distribution in an Acer
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