Erythronium americanum Ker Gawl. - Yellow Trout Lily


 

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Erythronium americanum - (image 1 of 6)

 

Taxonomy

Family: Liliaceae

Habitat

Mesic woodlands.

Associates

 

Distribution

New England south to GA, west MN to LA. Most common in the East.

Morphology

Perennial from a deeply buried corm. Produces one or two brown, lanceolate to elliptic, mottled leaves that appear to be basal. Flowers solitary, nodding, yellow. Petals and sepals 3, recurved. Stamens 6, yellow. Stigmas erect, to 2 mm long. Fruit a capsule.

Notes

Flowers April to May

Wetland indicator: Upland

Often found in sizable colonies. The mottled pattern on the leaves is said to resemble that of a trout, hence the name 'trout lily'. Of the approximately 30 species of Erythronium, most occur in North America. One occurs in Europe and at least 3 occur in Japan. E. japonicum has particularly showy blue-violet flowers.

 


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 Michael Hough © 2004