Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Trillium nivale
Snow trillium
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
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F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes

Shoots: whorled leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; lanceolate, obovate leaf shape

Inflorescence: solitary

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete, regular; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: capsule

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in limestone or cherty limestone soils (likes actual scattered limestone fragments in soil) of steep eroded forested slopes along streams, especially in sugar maple, with white oak and northern red oak; found in association with Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana.

ILPIN Notes: Pammel, L.H. 1911. A Manual of Poisonous Plants. Torch Press. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 977 pp. This is one of the smallest Trillium species. Regarding leaf venation, it may be parallel or other. Species is restricted to the northern 3/5 of Illinois. Species transplants well, good in wildflower garden if provided with some shade and a limey soil with good drainage. Cooked greens may be used as an emergency food (Medsger). All species are emetic, especially roots; fruits may be poisonous (Pammel).

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 8
  • Chicago Area: 10

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