Yellow Trillium

Yellow Trillium, Little Sweet Betsy
Trillium cuneatum var. luteum

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I won't be surprised if someone out there argues with me over the species name for this one. The more common Little Sweet Betsy has a red flower, and is known as Toadshade. Most wildflower guide books will refer to both the red and yellow forms as Trillium sessile.The yellow one above is pretty rare, so you're lucky if you find it. I have only seen it in areas of moist, basic soil. (I took this picture in North Georgia.) The flowers are sessile (i.e. with absolutely no stem), resting upon three broad, dark green leaves that are mottled with pale green. The flowers are three yellow petals, about 1.5" -2" long, narrow and pointed at the tip. The ovary inside the flower is greenish-yellow.

A note on the nomenclature (naming conventions) on this site: Scientific names and classifications are constantly being argued and changed, and it drives me nuts. Although I use many different sources for knowledge, for naming consistency I use the "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" by Radford, Ahles and Bell, 1968 edition. This book is a well-established authority for the plants of our region and I've been using it for years. If for some reason I must use a different source for a particular plant, I will make note of it within the descriptive text. Don't like it? Tough!

fdudley@weaversites.com

Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787

828-231-1501