I found this painted trillium today on the way up to Devil's Courthouse on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It has 4 leaves, sepals and petals! Not sure how rare these are, but it's the 1st I have seen - and there were 2 of them in the area.
Thanks for adding that, Matt. Not really sure. A friend of mine contacted some experts who said the phenom wasn't necessarily rare, but probably just a freak of that year. The true test might be to go back and see if there are more in the same location the next year. I didn't get a chance to go back there this past year - maybe next year.
Matt Perry
07-Aug-2006 15:35
August 2006 hiking on the Colbert Ridge Trail and Black Mountain Crest trail up to Mt. Mitchell, I saw several 4 leaf painted trillium (leaves and bright red berry/seed pod).
Maybe it's specific to the painted trillium?