Trillium erectum
Sp. Pl. 1: 340. 1753.
Rhizomes short, thick, praemorse. Scapes 1–2, often with numerous offsets forming heavy clumps, round in cross-section, 1.5–6 dm, ± robust, glabrous. Bracts sessile; blade bright green, lacking dark pigmentation, major veins prominent, broadly rhombic to ovate-rhombic, 5–20 × 5–20 cm, about as broad as long, widest near middle, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Flower erect, ascending, or proximal to but above bracts, odor fetid, like a wet dog; perianth open, flat; sepals flat to sulcate apically, green, often streaked or overlain with maroon, occasionally entirely dark maroon, lanceolate-acuminate, 10–50 mm, equaling petals, ± 1/2 petal width, texture leafy, margins entire, apex acuminate; petals spreading, carried in same plane as sepals or ascending slightly, dark reddish-brown, maroon, purple, or white, sometimes pale-yellow, major adaxial veins prominent and appearing somewhat engraved, usually flat, lanceolate, ovatelanceolate, or occasionally ovate, 1.5–5 × 1–3 cm, 2 times sepal width, widest near base, heavy-textured, apex acuminate; stamens erect to slightly recurved, 5–15 mm; filaments white, pinkish, or dark purple, ± equaling anthers, but variable within local populations, thin; anthers erect or weakly recurving, dark maroon, grayish maroon, or yellowish, strongly yellow when pollen exposed, 5–12 mm, dehiscence introrse; ovary dark purple to maroon, even in white-flowered forms, ovoid, elliptic to globose, 6-angled, angles forming very low ridges when fruit ripe, 5–10 mm, broadly attached at base; stigmas recurved, distinct, dark purple, not lobed adaxially, subulate, short, 3–7 mm, ca. 1/2 or less length of ovary at anthesis, fleshy; pedicel straight, erect, or somewhat declined but not strongly recurved below bracts, 1–10+ cm. Fruits dark maroon, weakly fragrant of fruit, ± globose to slightly pyramidal, 1–1.6 × 1–1.5 cm, juicy. 2n = 10.
Distribution
e North America
Discussion
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Petals usually red, maroon, or dark purple. | Trillium erectum var. erectum |
| 1 | Petals white. | Trillium erectum var. album |
"thin" is not a number."broad" is not a number."widest" is not a number."compressed-shortened" is not a number. "elongated" is not a number."thick" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."thicker" is not a number.No values specified.