Intro: Inconspicuous perennial growing in the leaf litter of nutrient-rich, moist to dry forests.

Stems: Stems short, fleshy, simple (very occasionally branched) with an overall purple-green coloration.

Leaves: Leaves opposite and sessile, roundish, less than ½ in. long, thick textured, the lower leaves bract-like.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers solitary, or in clusters of 3, in upper leaf axils; white to lavender; tubular, but cleft to the middle of the tube into 4 diamond-shaped lobes.

Fruits:

Comments: This spring ephemeral is often barely visible above the leaf litter; it has little chlorophyll and is believed to be a mycoheterotroph, obtaining nutrients via underground fungi associated with tree roots.

Height: 1-6 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Inconspicuous perennial growing in the leaf litter of nutrient-rich, moist to dry forests.

stems: Stems short, fleshy, simple (very occasionally branched) with an overall purple-green coloration.

leaves: Leaves opposite and sessile, roundish, less than ½ in. long, thick textured, the lower leaves bract-like.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers solitary, or in clusters of 3, in upper leaf axils; white to lavender; tubular, but cleft to the middle of the tube into 4 diamond-shaped lobes.

fruits:

comments: This spring ephemeral is often barely visible above the leaf litter; it has little chlorophyll and is believed to be a mycoheterotroph, obtaining nutrients via underground fungi associated with tree roots.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern United States