Jim F. guided a group of friends (Alan C, Nate M, and me) to several sites in upland South Carolina to view some uncommon early spring wildflowers. Peach Orchard Branch - Pickens Co.:

Allegheny Spurge   (Pachysandra procumbens).

Note that the male flowers (on top) have no petals; they consist only of filaments and stamens.   The few female flowers, with 3 or 4 petals, are usually positioned at the base of the inflorescence.

We came across the largest Virginia Pennywort that any of us had ever seen.

Virginia Pennywort   (Obolaria virginica)

The flowers weren't yet fully open, but here is a close-up.

Nine Times Preserve - Pickens Co.:

We found a colony of Hepatica that had the largest and most varied-color flowers that we had ever seen.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica   (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta)

Bloodroot   (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Dimpled Trout Lilies   (Erythronium umbilicatum)

Trout Lily

We saw two Trout Lilies with this very unusual color.

Devil's Fork State Park - Oconee Co.:

Oconee Bells   (Shortia galacifolia),   along the creek

Oconee Bells

This pair had unusual pink-tinted flowers.

A pretty trio

Pygmy Pipes, aka Sweet Pinesap   (Monotropsis odorata) Pygmy Pipes are related to Indian Pipes and (regular) Pinesap.   Like the others, it has no chlorophyll and is mycotrophic - it gets its nutrition from fungi which get their nutrition from the roots of trees.

Pygmy Pipe

These little plants exude a sweet, spicy fragrance

Monotropsis odorata with its associated fungus

Variable Leaf Heartleaf   (Hexastylis heterophylla)

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