HEBERLING LAB

This specimen of flowering dogwood (Cornus florida...or I mean Benthamidia florida?) was collected by Leroy Henry on April 22, 1946 near Listonburg, in the mountains of Somerset county Pennsylvania. 

In the summer, this species is not particularly remarkable and easy to miss.  But this time of year, mid April into May, it is a species that's hard to miss.  It's big showy flowers that emerge before its leaves fully expand, and before most other trees in the our forest have a full flush of leaves. On a bright sunny spring day, you'll notice this species from afar, decorating the hillsides and forests. It is one of those species that you didn't even realize was there in such numbers in another season.

Upon closer inspection, you'll see the flower "petals" aren't actually petals, but modified leaves called bracts. Give the flowers a close look, and you'll see the center of the flower head is actually composed of many small flowers, with its pollen producing anthers.

There are some taxonomic naming controversies in dogwoods. Perhaps you learned the species by the scientific name Cornus florida.  Well, many still call it that, but it is increasingly being realized that the genus Cornus would be better separated into multiple genera because of their estimated divergence times from a common ancestor. In other words, the groups diverged and split into species groups long enough ago that some biologists suggest they should be treated as separated genera. The "big-bracted" dogwoods, like this species, is therefore now placed in the genus Benthamidia according to recent treatments, such as the Flora of the Southeastern US.  Name changes like this are exciting and remind us that our understanding of life is always updating as we learn. So I tend to embrace it. It is a fun conversation topic. And something to complain about!

(No hike is complete without someone saying something along the lines of: "When I learned this plant is was called XXX. It will always be that to me! Why do "they" keep changing names?!")

And if you miss the species in the spring, it is also a fall show stopper with brilliant red foliage.

And you can also see it anytime of year in full bloom in the spring diorama in Botany Hall at the Carnegie Museum!

Ahhh, trillium!  Every year, I just can't get enough. Just one more picture.  Before they fade away for the year.

These two specimens were collected on April 15, 2006 by Loree Speedy in Fayette County, Pennsylvania along the Monongahela River.  Loree is an active botanist in the region, collected many specimens over the years that are in the CM herbarium, and serves as the Secretary of the Botanical Society of Western PA.

These specimens are Trillium erectum, also known at red trillium, wakerobin, or even "stinking benjamin," among other names. It is one of several trillium species found in Pennsylvania.  The two most common species in SW Pennsylvania are (white or large-flowered trillium) and this species, red trillium (Trillium erectum).  You can often find them in the same forest, co-occurring together.  But there also seems to be some population separation, with areas of the forest being more one species, while another area of forest is more the other species.  Maybe...I'm speculating a bit here.

Another fun speculation, that needs to be tested, is the observation that red trillium comes in many forms, with some incredible variation.  The most striking is the petal color, which can range from white to cream to deep red to even yellow.  In our region, you'll often find a population that is mostly one color, but with a few straggling indiivudals of another color (if you look hard enough!).  It is common, for instance, to find a population that is nearly entirely white petaled, with hundreds of plants, but with one stray red petaled plant. What's up with that?!  

Loree collected in the same location both the red petaled and white petaled form.

You'll also see some striking variation in the pedicel, the stem that connects the flower to the "leaves" of three.  It sometimes droops below the "leaves" while other times well above the leaves.

It can be called "stinking benjamin" because it has a faint wet dog odor. (I don't know who this Benjamin was...but an interesting legacy to have!) Though, there seems to be variation in the scent as well!

This species isn't quite a spring "ephemeral" because although it blooms early, its leaves persist into summer.  We have done and are doing some fun research with this species, ranging from the impact of deer and invasive garlic mustard (deer love it; garlic mustard disrupts its symbiotic relationship with belowground fungi) to its coloration in summer (some of the plants turn red in summer as they go dormant...but why?!).  

There is so much beauty in trillium. And so much wonder and curiosity to explore.  

[white petaled form of] red trillium (Trillium erectum) in Plum Borough, Pennsylvania April, 13, 2026.