Trillium reliquum J.D. Freeman

Relict Trillium; Confederate Wakerobin

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Relict Trillium is a native perennial in the Bunchflower family (Melanthiaceae). It can be found in a three east central and southeastern counties in Alabama. Relict Trillium grows in rich hardwood forests, in ravines, and along streams. It is a perennial from a stout rhizome. It has three leaf-like bracts at the apex of a short stem (2-4 inches). The stem is often decumbent or “S” shaped. The bracts are mottled in three colors of green with a silver green stripe down the midrib. The bracts are on or close to the surface of the leaf litter. The bracts are ovate to elliptic in outline, and widest near the middle. The flower is sessile at the center of the bracts. The flowers have a fetid odor. The sepals are often purplish in color and recurved at their tips. The petals are erect, elliptic to oblanceolate in outline, and dark purple in color. The petals often become yellowish-green as they age. The anther dehiscence is introrse (the anthers split along the side towards the interior of the flower). The fruit is a mealy capsule with several seed. The tan seed have a white, oily elaiosome along one side. Relict Trillium is an endangered species and is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state). The common name refers to its distribution. It is found in small, isolated populations from South Carolina across Georgia to east Alabama. It was thought that the plant was at one time more common with a more continuous distribution. Relict Trillium resembles the more common Underwood’s Trillium (Trillium underwoodii Small). Like Underwood’s Trillium, the leaves have three colors of green on them with a silver-green stripe down the midrib. It is also short like Underwood’s Trillium, the leaves easily touching the leaf litter when bend down the stalk. It differs in the shape of the leaf, with those of Relic Trillium being more rounded and wi

Listed as <a href=" https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=Q2RG">Federally Endangered</a> as of 4 Apr 1988. </a>

Native Endangered-US S2 (State Rank) G3 (Global Rank)

Freeman, J.D. 1975. Revision of Trillium Subgenus Phyllantherum (Liliaceae). Brittonia 27: 1-62.