Character comparisons of species of Trillium within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Adapted from a chart by Tom Patrick

	T. erectum	T. flexipes	T. rugelii	T. simile	T. sulcatum	T. vaseyi
Presence and voucher locations TENN=UTK, GRSM=Park, none=both	TN: Blount Co., Cocke Co., Sevier Co.; NC: Haywood Co., Swain Co.,	NC: Swain Co. (GRSM)	TN: Blount Co. (TENN), Cocke Co. (TENN), Sevier Co.; NC: Swain Co.	TN: Blount Co. (GRSM), Sevier Co. (GRSM); NC: Swain Co.	not in park -- for comparison only	TN: Blount Co., Sevier Co.; NC: Haywood Co., Swain Co.
Leaves shape attachment	subrhombic sessile	broadly elliptic to obovate subsessile	rhombic subsessile	broadly elliptic sessile	broadly elliptic to obovate subsessile	elliptic petiolate
Pedicels length attitude	short to medium above to below leaves	medium to long above to below leaves	short below leaves	medium above leaves	long above to same level as leaves	short below leaves
Flower profile (side view) overall ovary petals	open exposed flat, nearly perpendicular to axis	widely agape exserted, bug-eyed arched to recurved	open exposed basally recurved	widely agape hidden by petal bases arched outward	agape hidden by petal bases apically recurved	open hidden by filaments basally recurved
Predominant flower coloration petals ovary pollen stamens	maroon, white black violet to yellow maroon	white white creamy white	white maroon maroon maroon	white black light yellow white to maroon-tinged	maroon purple purple to yellow dark maroon	maroon purple grey-violet to dull yellow maroon
Flower fragrance	weakly fetid, as a wet dog	mildly musty, as staminate catkins	?	weakly sweet, as green apples	mildly fungal, as fresh mushrooms	strongly funereal, as pungent roses
Relative length ratios pedicel/ leaf sepal/ pedicel filament/ anther stamen/ pistil	0.20-0.55 0.5-0.8 0.4-0.6 0.8-1.3	0.45-0.75 0.4-0.7 0.2-0.5 0.7-1.4	0.2-0.3 0.8-1.3 0.2-0.3 0.8-0.9	0.35-0.6 0.4-0.7 0.3-0.6 1.2-1.8	0.45-0.8 0.2-0.4 0.4-0.7 0.9-1.6	0.20-0.45 0.5-0.7 0.6-1.1 1.2-2.5

	T. cuneatum	T. luteum		T. catesbaei	T. grandiflorum	T. undulatum
Presence and voucher locations TENN=UTK, GRSM=Park, none=both	TN: Blount Co. (GRSM), Sevier Co. (GRSM); NC: Swain Co. (GRSM),	TN: Blount Co., Sevier Co.; NC: Haywood Co.		TN: Blount Co.	TN: Blount Co. (TENN), Sevier Co.; NC: Swain Co.	TN: Blount Co. (GRSM), Cocke Co., Sevier Co.; NC: Haywood Co., Swain Co.
Leaves shape attachment	ovate to ovate-elliptic sessile	ovate-elliptic sessile		elliptic-ovate subsessile to petiolate	ovate to rhombic sessile to subsessile	ovate petiolate
Pedicels length attitude				short below leaves	short above leaves	short above leaves
Flower profile (side view) overall ovary petals	elliptic to oblanceolate sometimes with a twist	elliptic to lanceolate		turks-cap lily hidden by petal bases arched outward; recurved to revolute	funnel-shaped hidden by petal bases arched outward	open visible spreading
Predominant flower coloration petals ovary pollen stamens	bronze to maroon maroon yellow maroon	yellow pale green yellow pale green		white to pink pale green yellow pale green	white to pink green yellow pale green	white with red V white to tan white to tan
Flower fragrance	banana bread	lemon		?	?	?
Relative length ratios pedicel/ leaf sepal/ pedicel filament/ anther stamen/ pistil sepal/petal	0.1 0.9-1.2 0.9-1.0	0.1 1.4-1.5 0.6-0.7		0.3 0.9-1.0 1.0-1.1 1.2-1.8	0.2-0.4 0.7-1.0 "much shorter" "much longer"	0.3-0.4 0.6-0.7 "shorter" "shorter"

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restored: 28 May 2004 sfarmer@goldsword.com