As the species name tells us, this is a dioecious plant, meaning that each plant is either male or female—a rarity among flowering plants. The male flowers, with their dangling stamens that jingle silently in the breeze, are the ones we notice; the female flowers are more obscure. These plants were blooming in Fox Chapel above the parking area for the southern end of the Trillium Trail.
For a description of the species, see the Thalictrum dioicum reference page.
