The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: prairie trillium, prairie wake-robin, toadshade trillium, bloody butcher

Family: Liliaceae (lily family)

Distribution: e.-c. United States

IUCN Red list: Least concern

Regional red list: Ohio Potentially Threatened Species

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Comments: Prairie trillium is found in the far western regions of Ohio, typically in rich woods or savannas as opposed to prairies. This is one of the sessile trilliums – the flowers sit atop the foliage, which is heavily mottled with patches of light and dark green. The flowers consist of three deep maroon petals that curve up and inwards at the tips, while the three green sepals hang downwards. The long, black stamens are also very distinctive. Because of the dark coloring of the flowers, it is thought that they may attract carrion beetles or flesh flies as pollinators. Along that same theme, another common name for this plant is "bloody butcher." Other forms of this species exist with varying flower and stamen color, though the maroon is the most prevalent.