I still have more Ohio wildflowers to share. Ohio in the spring never disappoints! Today we have nodding trillium, Trillium cernuum, which you could see in Michigan or pretty much anywhere in the NE US. But I don't see it very often!
It's easy to recognize, because the white flower nods below the leaves, and the petals are recurved. I guess the stamens are usually purple, but I haven't paid enough attention in the past to know if they always are. Everything else about this plant screams T. cernuum, so I'm sticking with that diagnosis.
Let's talk Latin. Cernuum (sir-NEW-um) means having the face inclined toward the earth, eg. bowing or nodding. So whenever you see a plant name with that word (or cernuus or cernua), it's probably going to have a nodding or downward aspect. I tried to find a modern word that comes from that root as a memory aid, but didn't have any luck. We'll just have to remember it, cold.
There are about 50 species of trillium, and I now have eight in my plant photo pages. And there is one more yet coming to you from Ohio!
 | See Trilliums in Alabama |
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2 comments:
In the spring, we used to walk through the woods across from the in laws. We were searching for trillium and usually found it. It was fun to do, but getting out for a walk in the woods has always been fun.
I dont know that I've ever seen this before.
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