Waldsteinia parviflora
Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 25: 137. 1898.
Herbs, 10–20 cm. Leaves mostly ternately compound, rarely merely deeply lobed; leaflets broadly cuneate-obovate, 3–5 cm, lateral ones asymmetric, margins commonly shallowly and irregularly lobed, surfaces sparsely hirsute. Inflorescences 3–7-flowered. Flowers 8–10 mm diam.; hypanthium obcampanulate, 2–4 mm, strigose; petals elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 2.5–4.5 mm, shorter than to barely exceeding sepals, apex often acute; carpels 3 or 4.
Phenology: Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat: Woods, mountains, and piedmont
Elevation: 100–400 m
Distribution
Ala., Ga., Ky., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Va.
Discussion
Waldsteinia parviflora closely resembles W. fragarioides but has generally smaller flowers with petals shorter than to subequal to the sepals. The possibility that W. parviflora originated as a hybrid between W. fragarioides and W. lobata should be investigated.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
"thin" is not a number.