Toadshade trillium

Saturday
I learned the name of another new wildflower today - in fact a couple. We were walking at Rowe Woods this afternoon, and I came across these wildflowers which I wasn't familiar with. When I got home, I decided to check out Rowe Woods' Facebook page, and I was pleased to find they had a number of pictures posted of things that are currently flowering, and Toadshade trillium was one of them. I was familiar with the regular trillium, but not this one.

Trillium sessile (Toadshade or Sessile-flowered wake-robin) is a perennial spring wildflower native to the central part of the eastern United States and the Ozarks. It is a small trillium (rarely over 9 cm tall). Toadshade can be distinguished from other trilliums by its single foul smelling, stalkless, flower nestled in the middle of its three leaves. The three maroon petals, maintain a "closed" posture throughout its presence, the petals are occasionally pale green. The leaves are sometimes, but not always mottled with shades of light and dark green. Its species name comes from the Latin word sessilis which means low sitting, and refers to its stalkless flower. T. sessile is most common in rich moist woods but can also be found in rich forests, limestone woods, flood plains and along fence rows. The foul smelling flowers attract its primary pollinators, flies and beetles. The flowers are present from April-June. This plant is clump forming from a thick rhizome. The above ground parts of the plant die back by mid-summer, but may persist longer in areas that do not completely dry out. Toadshade is listed as state threatened in Michigan and state endangered in New York; both states are on the northern edge of its range.

One of the things I love about Blip is the things I learn from it - either from my own research to accompany one of my own blips, or from other people. At one time, I might have taken a picture of this plant as it was quite distinctive, but I probably wouldn't have bothered to look it up to see what it was. However, if I'm posting something on Blip I like to be able to share what it is if at all possible. Often, of course, if I don't know what it is, some other blipper does!
The trail we walked today turned out to be really muddy in places - and of course, typically, I didn't have my proper walking shoes on, just my regular white sports shoes - I couldn't find my thicker socks which I have to wear with my walking shoes! So I now have to clean my very muddy shoes, and my jeans, which were also clean on today!