Dutchman's breeches 



Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) WM ge,aniun ' 

 Geranium Family (Geraniaceae) 



This is one of our commonest woodland wildflowers, also 

 known as wild cranesbill. Its flowers are showy, pink or rose- 

 purple, and about an inch in diameter. When flowers are not 

 present, it is easy to confuse the foliage with that of certain 

 anemones. Its associates quite consistently include woodland 

 phlox and Virginia waterleaf. 



<§B Virginia Waterleaf ( Hydrophyllum virginianum) 

 Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae) 



The common name is given because of the whitish spots on 

 some of the leaves, which at a distance, resemble drops of 

 water. The name Hydrophyllum is derived from the Greek for 

 "water" and "leaf." It is our only common spring woodland 

 wildflower in which the stamens noticeably protrude from the 

 corolla. Flower color can range from pure white to light pink 

 and/or light purple. 



■& Woodl and Phlox ( Phlox diwricata) 

 Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae) 



This blooms slightly later than the plants discussed above, and 

 has bluish-purple blossoms with the shape of those of our culti- 

 vated phlox. The plant typically has sterile, or nonflowering, 

 basal shoots along the ground, which can take root. It con- 

 sistently associates with the wild geranium and the Virginia 

 waterleaf, and is to be found in almost every woodland, unless 

 the area is badly disturbed. 



W Dutchman's Breeches (Ehcentra cucuUaria) 

 Fumitory Family (Fumariaceae) 



This is a rather delicate plant, and unlike the spring beauty, 

 will not tolerate heavy abuse in the woods. The white flowers 

 occur in clusters, and are shaped like trousers hanging upside 

 down, thus easily distinguished from anything in the woods. 

 When not in flower, the plant can be confused with the closely 

 related squirrel corn (see below). Dutchman's breeches typi- 

 cally grows with spring beauty, false rue anemone, bloodroot, 

 wild leek, and white trout lily. It is especially delightful in 

 French Canyon of Starved Rock State Park. 



$? Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis) 

 Fumitory Family (Fumariaceae) 



The foliage of this plant is almost identical to that of Dutch- 

 man's breeches. However, the squirrel corn possesses small 

 tubers that approximate the size, shape, and color of a kernel 

 of corn; thus, quite different from the tubers of Dutchman's 

 breeches. While Dutchman's breeches ranges throughout our 

 area, squirrel corn is more at home in the beech-maple forests 

 of our Indiana and Michigan sectors. In fact, at Warren 

 Woods, it is one of the showpieces of the forest, in a normal 

 spring blooming about May 1. It grows there abundantly with 

 Dutchman's breeches, giving an excellent opportunity for 

 first-hand comparison. Interestingly enough, the two plants 

 are sometimes called "boys and girls"; the boys represented by 

 the Dutchman's breeches and the girls by the heart-shaped 

 flowers of squirrel corn. 



15 



Squirrel com 



