TRILISA 



closely related to Liatris. The species are autumu- 

 blooining plants 2-3 ft. high, with numerous small 

 flower-heads of purple or white. They differ from Lia- 

 tris as follows: The roots are fibrous (those of Liatris 

 being tuberous); the inflorescence is panicled instead 

 of racemose or spicate, and the involucral bracts are in 

 only 2 or 3 series, while those of Liatris are in many 

 series. Trilisa is not so well known to gardens as the 

 Blazing Star. Although a native of the low pine bar- 

 rens from Va. to Fla. and La., it is perhaps hardy. 

 Twenty years ago it was advertised by a Massachusetts 

 dealer in native plants. It is mentioned in some Eng- 

 lish books as a hardy plant, thriving in light soil and 

 prop, by division or by seeds sown in autumn. It is 

 more fully described in our native botanies. 



odoratissima, Cass. (Liatris odoratissima, Michx.). 

 Vanilla Plant. Also called Carolina Vanilla, Dog's- 

 tongue, etc. Rather stout, glabrous, perennial herb, 

 2-3 ft. high: lvs. thick, entire or sometimes dentate, 

 obtuse, 4-10 x 1-lK in., oblong, ovate or oval: inflores- 

 cence corymbose paniculate: fl. -heads about x /i in. long. 

 Aug., Sept. B B. 3:319. -The other species (T. pani- 

 culata, Cass.) has a similar range and is distinguished 

 by its viscid-pubescent stem and thyrsoid-paniculate 

 inflorescence. yy t jyj^ 



TRILLIUM (Latin, tripJum, triple: leaves and floral 

 parts in threes). LiliAcecf. Wake-Robin. Birthroot. 

 White Wood Lily. Ground Lily. Twelve species of 

 tuberous-rooted spring-flowering herbs in North Amer- 

 ica, and about half as many more in Asia from Hima- 

 laya to Japan. All the American species and none of 

 the others are in the trade in this country. The stem is 

 simple and erect, 3-leaved near the summit and bearing 

 one flower with 3 green sepals, 3 white or colored dis- 

 tinct petals, 6 short stamens, and a 3-loculed ovary 

 which ripens into a red or purple berry-like fruit. For 

 a botanical account of the American species, see S, 

 Watson, Proc. Araer. Acad. Arts & Sci. 14 (1879). 



Trilliums are amongst the characteristic flowers of 

 American woods. The best known species is T.grandi- 

 florum, which ranges from Canada to the mountains of 

 North Carolina and extends westward beyond the Great 

 Lakes. All Trilliums delight in moist, rich soil. They 

 thrive in woods mold. The root is a deep-seated perpen- 

 dicular tuber or rhizome (Fig. 2572). It is customary to 

 transplant Trilliums from the woods when in bloom. 

 This is because the plants can be found readily at that 

 time and because the desire to grow them is strongest 

 when the plants are in bloom. It is better to transplant 

 in midsummer, or later, however, when the growth is 

 completed, although the plants are difficult to find after 

 the tops have died. The bloom is made largely from the 

 energy stored in the tuber the 

 previous season. After flower- 

 ing, the plant stores energy for 

 the succeeding year. By mid- 

 summer this work is accom- 

 plished and the tops die: then 

 the plants are at rest and they 

 are in proper condition to be 

 moved. However, good results 

 are sometimes obtained by mov- 

 ing them in spring. These re- 

 marks will apply to most early 

 spring- blooming small herbs. 

 Give Trilliums a rich, deep, 

 rather moist soil in partial 

 shade. Plant deep. A colony 

 will last for years. Trilliums 

 force well. See Forcing. Plants 

 may be propagated by seeds 

 Q f sown as soon as ripe. Bloom- 

 ing plants may be expected in 

 two or three years. Trilliums 

 are among the choicest of all early spring plants, and 

 they should be more common in gardens. They can be 

 made to thrive well in borders about-city yards. They 

 may also be colonized in grass where the lawn mower 

 is not used. Best results are usually attained, however, 

 when they are planted alone in masses. Trilliums are 

 amongst the relatively few plants that are very showy 

 and yet not coarse. 



2573. Vertical 



Trillium (XK) 



2573. Flower of Tti.Hu; 

 florum (XX). 



a. Ovary 3-angled, not winged. 



1. nivale, Ridd. A dwarf species, 5 in. or less high, 

 early: lvs. narrow and obtuse, 1-2 in. long: lis. white, 

 on a short erect or de- 

 clined pedicel, the pet- 

 als about 1 in. long, 

 narrow and nearly or 

 quite obtuse . Low 

 woods, Pa. and Ky. to 

 Minn, and Iowa. B.M. 

 6449. 



2. undulatum, 

 Willd. (T. erythrocdr- 

 pum, Michx. T. pic- 

 tum, Pursh). Of me- 

 dium to large size, 1 

 ft. or more high: lvs. 

 large, ovate and acute 

 or acuminate, short- 

 stalked: fls. rather' 

 large, white, on a short 

 but slender erect or 

 inclined pedicel, the 

 petals oblanceolate and 

 wavy, about 1 in. long 

 and usually purplish 

 at the base. Woods, 

 Nova Scotia to Missouri and Georgia. B.M. 3002. L. 

 B.C. 13:1232. 



aa. Ovary 6-angled, often winged. 



B. Flowers sessile (and mostly colored). 



c. Leaves sessile. 



3. sessile, Linn. Strong-growing, 1 ft. or less high: 

 lvs. broadly ovate or rhomboidal, acute, more or less 

 spotted: fl. sessile in the whorl of lvs., small, purple or 

 greenish, the petals narrow and acute. Woods, Pa. to 

 Minn., Ark., and Fla. B.M. 40. L.B.C. 9:875. F.S. 

 22:2311. -Variable. 



Var. giganteum, Torr. (var. Califdrnicnm, Wats.). 

 Much stouter, the lvs. often 6 in. long and spotted, and 

 the petals sometimes 4 in. long: fls. purple, rose-color 

 or white, the petals rhombic-ovate or narrower. Calif. 

 and Ore. G.F. 3:321. 



Var. angristipetalum, Torr. Similar to Var. gigan- 

 teum, but the lvs. somewhat petiolate and the petals 

 narrower. Calif., Ore. Apparently not in the trade. 

 This and var. gigantenm appear to be the only Trilliums 

 native to California, except T. ovatum. 



Var. rubrum, Hort. A form of Var. gigantenm with 

 fls. deep red-purple. 



Var. Wrayi,"Wats. (T. discolor, Wray). Petals spatu- 

 late-obtuse, 1 in. long, greenish. Georgia. B.M. 3097. 



Nuttallii, Wats. [T. viridJscens. Nutt.). Lvs. pubes- 

 cent beneath, as also the upper part of the stem : petals 

 linear- lanceolate, purplish green with brown base. 

 Ark. 



4. lanceolatum, Boykin ( T. recurvdtum, var. lanceo- 

 latum, Wats.). Plant often more than 1 ft. tall: lvs. 

 lanceolate, sessile: fls. dull or brown-purple, an inch or 

 more long, narrow - lanceolate or linear, the sepals as- 

 cending or somewhat reflexed, the filaments usually 

 exceeding % in. in length. Ga., Ala. — Little known in 

 cult. 



CC. Leaves stalked. 



5. recurvatum, Beck. Strong-growing, usually 1 ft. 

 or more high: lvs. ovate or ovate-oblong, tapering to 

 both ends, on short but slender petioles: fls. brown- 

 purple or dull-purple, about 1 in. or more long, the 



