Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum) is the showiest of the wildflowers that have appeared in my woods so far this spring.
They don't look very impressive when they start out though:
They don't look very impressive when they start out though:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqao6yEzfX80oIf1widVzhyphenhyphenRxlBIy6b8LicmMBY-cleFbqVsxw9SYEAo6qeg_MuJaYuYC1WUbN2s2JsOHQ8mgD_3VrMsRZmumAGQXqyTFcA7Zyiu9nMLoTLJnPQcJKYo2z3X3J9V4aHY/s640/20190505_133023+%25281%2529.jpg)
The leaves emerge tightly whorled together:
As the leaves unfurl, the bud becomes visible:
Here, the bud is invisible, still hidden by the last leave to unfurl:
This is the same plant when I gently spread the remaining leaf:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd3K-ggmhjC_Ikm4pTsM-GDDty9yen_VTbws7tI1xXsEWrGlG_-ibIQ-QGz9J_SLKv4-vpOMf3ASvfrNnatmMRL-0yVP7t7UAiUzOjH1_rsNByZf9ez3QDvTcQ_Q353P2uT-NM2dn-_g/s640/20190511_182453_HDR.jpg)
Note the three leaves, three petals, and three sepals, characteristic of this and other species of trillium. The sepals are the small, green, leaf-like structures you see alternating with the petals in the photo above. Look back at earlier photos of the buds - you see the sepals enclosing and protecting the bud before it opens.