Trillium cernuum

"Nodding trillium" redirects here. For other uses, see Nodding trillium (disambiguation).

Trillium cernuum
With flower in Ontario (10 June)

Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Melanthiaceae
Genus: Trillium
Species:
T. cernuum
Binomial name
Trillium cernuum
Synonyms[2]
Trillium cernuum
    • Trillium cernuum f. billingtonii Farw.
    • Trillium cernuum var. declinatum Farw.
    • Trillium cernuum f. lalondei Cay. & J.Cay.
    • Trillium cernuum var. macranthum Eames & Wiegand
    • Trillium cernuum f. marginatum Cay. & J.Cay.
    • Trillium cernuum f. tangerae Wherry
    • Trillium cernuum var. terrae-novae B.Boivin
    • Trillium cernuum var. typicum Wherry
    • Trillium cernuum f. viride Cay. & J.Cay.
    • Trillium cernuum f. walpolei Farw.
    • Trillium glaucum Raf.
    • Trillium hamosum Raf.
    • Trillium latifolium Raf.
    • Trillium medium Raf.

Trillium cernuum is a species of flowering plant in the bunchflower family Melanthiaceae. The specific epithet cernuum means "drooping, curving forwards, facing downwards",[3] a distinctive habit of its flower. It is commonly called nodding trillium or nodding wakerobin (not to be confused with Trillium flexipes) since the flower is invariably found nodding beneath the leaves.[4][5] It is sometimes referred to as the northern nodding trillium to distinguish from Trillium rugelii, a similar nodding species native to the southern Appalachian Mountains.[6] It is also called the whip-poor-will flower since presumably its bloom coincides with the spring arrival of the migrating bird with the same name.[7]

Trillium cernuum was thought to be one of three species of Trillium described by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753 (the other two being Trillium erectum and Trillium sessile). The specimen examined by Linnaeus was actually Trillium catesbaei, a nodding species native to the southern Appalachian Mountains where Trillium cernuum does not occur. This oversight led to much confusion, some of which continues to this day. Within its natural range, Trillium cernuum is often confused with two closely related Trillium species, Trillium erectum and Trillium flexipes. The three species are known to interbreed with one another, which adds to the confusion.

The nodding trillium is the most northerly Trillium species in North America, occurring as far north as Hudson Bay and as far south as northern Virginia (reports south of Virginia are most likely other species such as Trillium rugelii, Trillium catesbaei, or Trillium flexipes). Trillium cernuum is found on rich, moist soils in both broadleaf and coniferous woodlands.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NatureServe was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference POWO was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gledhill 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference FNA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference NOPD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference USFS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Friends was invoked but never defined (see the help page).