''Trillium tennesseense'', the Tennessee trillium, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Melanthiaceae Melanthiaceae, also called the bunchflower family, is a family of flowering herbaceous perennial plants native to the Northern Hemisphere. Along with many other lilioid monocots, early authors considered members of this family to belong to t ...

. It is found exclusively within two counties in northeastern

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

. Due to its limited range, it is designated as a critically imperiled species.

Description

''Trillium tennesseense'' most resembles ''T. oostingii'' but the two species differ with respect to several features. In particular, ''T. tennesseense'' has filaments nearly equal in length to its ovary (vs. less than half the length), a shorter ovary (2–4 mm vs. 6–16 mm), and stigma lobes distinctly longer than the ovary (vs. equal to the ovary length). When the plant is in full bloom, the flower emits a smell reminiscent of old-fashioned shoe polish.

Taxonomy

''Trillium tennesseense'' was first described and named by Edward E. Schilling and Aaron J. Floden in 2013. , some authorities recognize the name ''Trillium tennesseense'' , but others regard it as a synonym for '' Trillium lancifolium'' . Both species are members of the sessile-flowered trilliums ( ''Trillium'' subgen. ''Sessilia''), a group of species typified by ''Trillium sessile''.

Conservation

The global conservation status of ''Trillium tennesseense'' is Critically Imperiled (G1). The State of Tennessee lists the species as endangered. The IUCN Red List considers ''Trillium tennesseense'' to be a synonym of '' Trillium lancifolium''. However, based on IUCN criteria, ''Trillium tennesseense'' is Critically Endangered (CR).

References

Bibliography

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External links

Trilliums, Trilliums, Trilliums and other neat stuff in Tennessee and North Carolina — 2016-04-30
tennesseense Endemic flora of the United States Flora of the Eastern United States Flora of Tennessee Plants described in 2013 {{liliales-stub