Unnamed species of trillium is an early spring bloomer in South Carolina | Mystery Plant

I’ll have to admit that this past winter has not been so bad here in the midlands. It hasn’t gotten real cold (except this past weekend — I consider 25° F “real cold”), and there has been barely any snow or ice.

I’m glad to see the daylength increasing steadily, which always gives us a clear sign that we’re moving from winter into spring. Here is a fine example of a native plant that is making an early transition, too.

Mystery Plant:This 'living fossil' tree dates back to the Jurassic period | Mystery Plant

Invasive species:Be aggressive: Learn to identify and remove invasive plants | Walthall

This unnamed species of trillium begins to bloom while the days are still chilly, and what a beauty it is. It is, of course, one of our native trilliums, a group of herbaceous plants related to lilies. 

There are about 50 different trillium species in North America, and some additional ones occur in Asia.

All have several features in common, including an underground rhizome. The flowering, above-ground stems each bear a single flower. Three leaves occur in a ring just below the flower. (These leaves are technically considered "bracts" by botanists, but never mind all that.)

Depending on the species, the flower may be at the end of a slender stalk, or it may be sessile, and without a stalk. The flower bears three sepals, three petals. Depending on the species, the petals range from pure white to yellow, pink, garnet, or brick red. There are always six stamens.

After blooming, the ovary eventually forms a somewhat fleshy pod containing a number of seeds. The seeds of trilliums are interesting, in that they bear unusual, oily structures, called "elaiosomes," which are attractive to insects, including ants.

In fact, many species of trilliums (including this week's mystery plant, possibly) are known to have seeds that ants like to carry around, eventually chewing off the elaiosomes, and thus dispersing the seeds.

The bigger issue with this Mystery Plant is that it has not been described — yet.

Because of that, it does not have any sort of valid scientific name. It apparently grows in only one very small part of the world (South Carolina actually), specifically a mucky hillside “seepage” bog not far from the Savannah River floodplain (the exact locality must remain a secret for now), wherein this bog it likes to grow atop wet root mounds, slightly elevated above the muck.

It has been seen and fussed over by only a handful of people, including its original discoverers, Drs. Patrick McMillan and Richard Porcher. I was lucky (and honored) enough to go see this rare curiosity yesterday.

Not all of the plants were blooming: there were probably 40-50 individuals scattered in the bog, with only 6-7 in flower.

This Mysterious trillium is one of those species with a stalked flower. The petals are white, and delicately veined. Its pollen is a rich gold shade, and the flower scent is rather minimal, a sort of sweet spice scent.

And of course, botanists are like anybody else, and like to smell flowers. The problem with this one is that the whole plant is only 8” tall, and you have to get down on your knees to get even a whiff — muddy trousers! 

John Nelson is the retired curator of the A. C. Moore Herbarium at the University of South Carolina in Columbia SC. As a public service, the Herbarium offers free plant identifications. For more information, visit www.herbarium.org or email johnbnelson@sc.rr.com.

Never miss a story:  Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.