Mayapple (May apple)

I was pleased with myself when I spotted a flower like this recently.
Last year Karen-in-the-Greenhouse ID’ed the unique leaves on a low-lying plant in the campus woods as “Mayapple.” A couple weeks ago I happened to catch a sideways glance at a plant with an open flower like this. This is not as easy as you may think: the flower hangs *downward* and *underneath* the umbrella- or canopy-like leaf/leaves. Karen explained that the plant only sports a flower when it grows a second leaf. Another fascinating little fact from the plant world around us!

Since the flowers hang downward, I had to hold this one upward to the sunlight.

Species page at PhytoImages: http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Podophyllum_peltatum&rank=binomial

Species page at Missouri Botanical Garden: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=l800

1 year ago (“Brazilian plume [flower]”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-05-06
2 years ago (“Pastels in a small space”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-05-06
3 years ago (“Nature’s packaging”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-05-06