Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

TRILLIACEAE 941
3 Sepals abruptly deflexed between and below the leaves, distinctly descending below the approximately horizontal plane
of the leaves; filaments about as long as incurved anthers; [T. recurvatum group].
4 Leaves sessile or subsessile, borne in a descending or drooping manner (similar to the sepals); petals usually > 4×
as long as wide..................................................................................................................................... T. lancifolium
4 Leaves distinctly petiolate, borne in an ascending manner (strongly contrasting in position with the strongly
deflexed sepals); petals usually ca. 2× as long as wide ........................................................................ T. recurvatum
3 Sepals erect, ascending, or spreading, usually borne at or above the approximately horizontal plane of the leaves;
filaments much shorter than the upright anthers.
5 Petals spreading to horizontal, with 1-2 spiral twists (looking something like an airplane propellor); anther
dehiscence extrorse (toward the outside of the flower); [T. sessile group]......................................... [T. stamineum]
5 Petals erect to slightly spreading, not spirally twisted; anther dehiscence introrse (toward the inside of the flower),
or latrorse (toward the side).
6 Petals broadly spatulate, clawed, broadly rounded (though sometimes with an apiculus) at the tip; petals pale
lemon-yellow (the claws greenish or maroon); flower fragrance clove-like; [of the Savannah River drainage,
from sw. NC southeastward along the GA-SC border]; [T. sessile group]......................................... T. discolor
6 Petals lanceolate, elliptic, obovate, or oblanceolate, but not broadly spatulate and distinctly clawed, generally
acute at the tip; petals maroon-red, purplish-brown, yellow, or green; flower fragrance various; [collectively
widespread in our area].
7 Stigmas > 1.5× as long as the ovary; stamens about 0.5× as long as the petals; anther connectives
prominently prolonged into a beak 1.0-5.0 mm long (beyond the anther sacs); [T. sessile group]..............
......................................................................................................................................................T. sessile
7 Stigmas as long as the ovary or shorter; stamens < 0.5× as long as the petals; anthers blunt, the
connectives extended < 1.0 mm beyond the anther sacs.
8 Ovary ellipsoid; leaves acute, the margins of the outer 1/3 more or less straight; leaf blade mottled
with 3 or more shades of green, the palest shade forming a very conspicuous pale green streak
along the midvein; [of the Coastal Plain and fall-line area of GA, AL, and FL panhandle]; [T.
sessile group].
9 Stem 2.5-3× as long as the leaves; petals oblanceolate-obovate, usually 1.5-3× as long as wide
..................................................................................................................................T. decipiens
9 Stem 1-2× as long as the leaves; petals narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate-obovate, usually 3-5×
as long as wide ....................................................................................................T. underwoodii
8 Ovary ovoid; leaves acute to acuminate, the margins of the outer 1/3 convex; leaf blade mottled
with 2-3 shades of green, paler shades sometimes prominent along the midvein, but not as above;
[collectively widespread in our area]; [T. maculatum group].
10 Petals < 4× as long as wide, elliptic-oblanceolate to oblanceolate; [of inland provinces, rarely
in the Coastal Plain].
11 Flower fragrance fruity-spicy, like green apples or Calycanthus (rarely musky); petals
maroon, bronze, green, yellow; portions of ovary and stamens purplish during anthesis....
.........................................................................................................................T. cuneatum
11 Flower fragrance lemon-like; petals greenish-yellow darkening to yellow; ovary and
stamens greenish-white during anthesis................................................................T. luteum
10 Petals > 4.5× as long as wide, narrowly oblanceolate-spatulate to linera oblnaceolate; [of the
Coastal Plain, rarely further inland].
12 Ovary 3-angled at base of stigmas (rarely hexagonal); petals 7-17 mm wide, narrowly
spatulate (appearing clawed); outer whorl of stamens broader, anther dehiscence introrse;
flower fragrance faintly spicy-fragrant, banana-like; [of AL, n. FL, GA, and e. SC] ..........
.......................................................................................................................T. maculatum
12 Ovary 6-angled; petals 3-8 mm wide, linear-oblanceolate, narrowly elliptic, to linearlanceolate
(weakly or not clawed); flower fragrance putrid, like rotting meat; [of MS and
LA].
13 Petals 3-5 mm wide; anther dehiscence introrse; anther connective extending 1-1.5
mm beyond the anther sacs.............................................................[T. foetidissimum]
13 Petals 4-8 mm wide; anther dehiscence latrorse; anther connective scarcely
extending beyond the anther sacs ...................................................[T. ludovicianum]
Key B – trilliums with unmottled leaves and pedicellate flowers,
of the Erectum Group
1 Pedicel abruptly declined below the leaves; leaves petiolate to subsessile (or even sessile); petals recurved between the
sepals.
2 Stamens far exceeding the pistil, filaments as long as the ovary or longer, at least partly maroon, the anther sacs yellow
to maroon; ovary small, globose, 3-12 mm long; flower fragrance pungent, rose-like; pedicel long, 3-13 cm long; petals
strongly overlapping, usually maroon (rarely white or whitish) ........................................................................... T. vaseyi