Susquehanna Trilliums

The "Susquehanna" Trilliums found along the lower Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania and Maryland may be a population which is a hybrid swarm from an ancient hybridization event between Trillium erectum and Trillium flexipes.

The following are pictures in the wild showing the wide variation in petal width, ovary color and shape. Red petal individuals do occur in the area, but they are very much in the minority. This may be due to over-collecting of red flowered plants because they are rarer there. (photos by mike Slater unless noted otherwise)

One of the Susquehanna River Valley Trilliums, close-up.
Photo by Mike Slater

More images at the Trillium Gallery in the NARGS images Galleries