14 Trillium cernuum.
base white, invested with sheaths. Leaves three, drooping, terminal,
rhomboid-ovate, narrow at base, sessile, or nearly so, terminating
at their apices in abrupt points, deeply veined, veins prominent
and numerous below, yellow-green above, under surface shining.
Peduncle from one-half of an inch to an inch, rarely an inch and a
quarter long, turned downwards beneath the two leaves and concealing
the flower under one. Calix dependant, consisting of three
petaloid, acuminate, lanceolate, or lanceolate-ovate segments, the
margins approaching by reflected convolutions near the apex. Petals
three, white, turbinated or turned upwards in a direction contrary
to the calix leaves ; also acuminate, occasionally one-half greenish,
like the petaloid calix. Anthers constantly six in number, a quarter
of an inch long, oblong, white, with yellow pollen on the margin.
Stigmas three, prismatic, and convoluted at the end, tinged with carmine,
projecting beyond the anthers, and being aggregated into a solid
mass at base. Berries purple. Grows in damp rocky woods or
grottoes, near rivulets, delighting in rich soil, throughout the Union.
Flowers in the beginning of May—to the south in April. On the
banks of the Schuylkill, near the falls, west side: near Mantua Village,
and other places contiguous to Philadelphia, this plant is very
abundant.
This is not the Trillium cernuum of Michaux, which is now called
T. stylosum by Nuttall, and T. Catesbasi of Elliot. Catesby’s plant
was probably the original T. cernuum of Linnseus, a name now
Trillium cernuum. 15
transferred by botanists to another plant, the one here figured, leaving
consequently much doubt and confusion relative to the true
plant designated by Linnaeus by that name. This transfer of the
name, which must have been unintentionally made, and owing to
the similitude of several species of this genus, has induced Mr. Elliot
to give the name Catesbaei to it. Mr. Nuttall has called the same
plant T. stylosum, from its being the only species having a single
style. It appears from Mr. Elliot’s remarks that the T. cernuum of
Walter is different from either the present cernuum or the species
of former botanists. He has assigned to it the specific name of neryo-
sum. Dr. Smith has criticised the figure of Catesby, who describes
the plant as growing in Pendleton at the head waters of the Saluda
and Savannah rivers, stating it to be incorrect, and Pursh assuming
him as authority, declares the figure cannot be quoted without creating
confusion. While Mr. Elliot, on the spot, declares, that he had,
at the time of making his observations, “ specimens before him
agreeing minutely with the figure of Catesby, which were collected
precisely in the same spot where that naturalist describes his plant
as growing. Yet it is not a little remarkable that Dr. Smith should
be able to see the identity of Catesby’s plant, by the specimens in the
Catesbyian Herbarium, with the cernuum, (the plant here figured,)
though he declares the figure erroneous.
The genus to which this plant belongs contains eleven or twelve
species peculiar to the United States, and one, the T. obovatum.
common to this country and Kamschatka, according to Pallas.