Sharplobe Hepatica

Hepatica acutiloba

Plant Type: Forb (Semi-evergreen)
Landscape Layer: Herb
Sun: ⛅ Part Sun, ☁️ Shade
Moisture: 🏜️ Dry, 💧 Regular
Soil: Loam, Silt, Calcareous
Bloom: April, May
Sociability: S2 – Small groups

Pollinator Value

❄️ Winter Food Source: Genus-level avian diet data shows Anemone seeds consumed by Common Eider (Anatidae, 1.1% diet by weight) and Rock Ptarmigan (Phasianidae, 1.15% diet by weight). These are genus-level associations and may not reflect direct use of H. acutiloba specifically.
S57

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) with national rank N5 in both Canada and the US. Secure in Ontario (S5) and apparently secure in Quebec (S4). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. The slightly lower Quebec rank may reflect fewer documented populations in the province relative to Ontario.
S22 G5/N5; S26 not SARA listed
Rarity Ranks: QC S4 – Apparently Secure, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Sharp-lobed hepatica is a characteristic understory forb of rich deciduous forests, strongly associated with sugar maple and beech communities on calcareous substrates. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region it is common in Gatineau Park hardwood forests and Ottawa-area woodlands. Specimen records from Gatineau Park note habitats of 'bois riche' and 'among hardwoods,' and several Quebec specimens come from sugar maple-dominated stands (érablière sucrière). It favours well-drained slopes with neutral to alkaline soils.
S6 calcareous soils; S48 specimen habitat notes; S62 Common Ottawa; S63 Common Ottawa-Hull

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles: Fortress/Barrier
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)]
Notes: Sharp-lobed hepatica is a natural guild partner in rich mesic hardwood forests. It occupies the herb layer beneath sugar maple-beech canopy, tolerating deep shade and benefiting from the calcium-rich leaf litter of its canopy associates. Plant alongside other spring woodland forbs such as trilliums, wild ginger, and bloodroot for a naturalistic ground layer.
S6 deciduous woods, calcareous soils; S48 habitat data

Medicinal Properties
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Category: Digestive Aid, Gynecological Aid, Dermatological Aid
S6 Moerman: abdominal pains, poor digestion, constipation, gynecological aid, wash for facial conditions
Notes: D.E. Moerman (1986) documents Native American use of Hepatica acutiloba for abdominal pains, poor digestion, and constipation, as a wash for 'twisted mouth or crossed eyes,' and as a gynecological aid. The Chippewa used the roots as a charm on traps, and the Iroquois used it in a compound to relieve shortness of breath in runners.
S6 FNA Moerman citation; S61 Go Botany ethnobotanical notes

Edibility & Foraging
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❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes

No edible uses documented in PFAF or Moerman ethnobotanical database.

S29 S28

Toxicity

△ Low Toxicity

Not listed in the Cornell poisonous plants database. No toxic compounds reported in USDA PLANTS or Duke phytochemical database. As a member of Ranunculaceae, the plant may contain protoanemonin in fresh tissue, which can cause mild irritation, but no significant toxicity has been documented for this species.

S38 not listed; S11 no toxicity data; S31 no phytochemical data

Seed Source