Fig. 381.
Abnormal trillium. The nine parts of the perianth are green, and the outer whorls of stamens are expanded into petal-like members.
Fig. 382.
Transformed stamen of
trillium showing anther
locules on the margin.
645. Transformations of the flower of trillium.—If anything more were needed to make it clear that the parts of the flower of trillium belong to the leaf series we could obtain evidence from the transformations which the flower of trillium sometimes presents. In [fig. 381] is a sketch of a flower of trillium, made from a photograph. One set of the stamens has expanded into petal-like organs, with the anther sacs on the margin. In [fig. 380] is shown a plant of Trillium grandiflorum in which the pistil has separated into three distinct and expanded leaf-like structures, all green except portions of the margin.
Dentaria.
646. General appearance.—For another study we may take a plant which belongs to another division of the higher plants, the common “pepper root,” or “toothwort” (Dentaria diphylla) as it is sometimes called. This plant occurs in moist woods during the month of May, and is well distributed in the northeastern United States. A plant is shown in [fig. 383]. It has a creeping underground rhizome, whitish in color, fleshy, and with a few scales. Each spring the annual flower-bearing stem rises from one of the buds of the rhizome, and after the ripening of the seeds, dies down.
The leaves are situated a little above the middle point of the stem. They are opposite and the number is two, each one being divided into three dentate lobes, making what is called a compound leaf.
Fig. 383.
Toothwort (Dentaria diphylla).