Woodland Star of Bethlehem
Tellima Affinis, Bolander. Saxifrage Family
Stems.—Slender; six to twenty inches high. Root-leaves.—Round-reniform; scalloped; rarely an inch across. Stem-leaves.—Three to five; ternately cleft; variously toothed. Flowers.—White; in a loose raceme; nine lines across. Calyx.—Small; campanulate; five-toothed. Petals.—Five; wedge-shaped, with three acute lobes. Stamens.—Ten. Filaments very short. Ovary.—One-celled. Styles, three, short, stout. Stigmas, capitate. Hab.—Shady places almost throughout the State.
“Star of Bethlehem” is the common name by which many of our children know this fragile flower. Its slender stems rise from many a mossy bank, upbearing their few delicately slashed, pure-white stars, which seem to shed a gentle radiance about them upon the woodland scene.
WHIPPLEA—Whipplea modesta.