Spring Ephermerals
Hepatica/Liver leaf-Hepatica Americana
Meadow Rue
Information and Photos Continued
This plant has elegant stems and fuzzy flowers. This is also an extremely delicate flower that lacks petals.
This plant is named after a liver because its leaves reminded someone of a liver. The word Hepatica is also latin for “liver.”
Bellwort is named after the appearance of its flower. Yellow bellwort may be found statewide in Illinois woods. It blooms April through May.
The Toothwort gets its name from its leaves, which have edges that look like ragged teeth. Toothwort blooms from February to May statewide in Illinois woodlands.
Yellow Bellwort Uvularia grandiflora
Toothwort Dentaria laciniata
False Solomon's Seal Smilacina racemosa
A spike of white or yellow flowers appears on the tip of the strong, unbranched stem of the false Solomon's seal. The plant may attain a height of three to five feet. Parallel veins on the leaves help show that this plant is in the lily family. Berries turn red in the fall.
Animals like the eastern chipmunk and many types of birds eat and scatter seeds of some of the berry-producing plants like Solomon's seal. In this manner plants have developed the means to move from one area to another, simply at the expense of a "helper" (host) animal. Solomon's seal blooms from April to June in woodlands in every Illinois county.
Solomon's Seal Polygonatum commutatum