Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_3638.JPG-05-16-2020
Flower name (scientific): Uvularia sessilifolia Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) oo-voo-LAR-ee-a ses-ee-lee-FOH-lee-uh
Flower name (common): Sessile-leaf Bellwort
Family name (common): Autumn-crocus
Family name (scientific): Colchicaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: The hanging petals supposedly resemeble the human uvula (palatine uvula). Uvularia is Latin for the small conical shaped body at the center of the human palate.
    Specific epithet: Having leaves with no stalks (petioles).
Common name origin: Having bell-shaped flowers and leaves without stalks.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.9 to 1.1 inches (2.3 to 2.8 cm)
     Petal count: 6
     Color: yellow (pale)
     Other: flower arrangement, Solitary
Plant description:
     Size: 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 8 cm long and up to 2.5 to 4 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, narrowly to broadly elliptic (FNA)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): April to June
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Moist woods, part shade.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): Uvularia grandiflora is a lookalike, but this has bright yellow flowers and the leaves surround the flower stem (perfoliate), whereas U. sessilifolia has sessile but non-clasping leaves and pale yellow flowers.
Ethnobotany: The Ojibwe used the root of this plant when hunting as an attractant for deer (Smith, p. 430, 1932). In the preceding reference Smith uses the old synonym name Oakesia sessilifolia for this plant. The Cherokee and the Iroquois both used this plant to prepare medicines to treat various ailments (Moerman, p. 582, 1998). The Cherokee also used the plant as a food source.
Latitude: 44.796783
Longitude: -91.502878
Altitude: 244.10
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marquette, Menominee, Monroe, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Richland, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (MB, NB, NS, ON, QC) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): FACU
Wetland Status (MW): FACU