This post is by Jocie Brooks, leader of the Botany Group, from an email to members of the group on April 26.
Dawn Moore recently sent me some photos of unusual trilliums, some with double flowers and some even stranger “mutants” from the Snowden Demonstration Forest just north of Campbell River. I have no idea what is causing this…whether these are natural genetic mutations, or whether they could be the result of herbicide use? (which could be possible, with the Snowden forest’s history). If anyone can enlighten us with more information it would be appreciated!
Here’s a bit more of what Dawn had to say:
Here are a few photos taken of double trilliums a few days ago. One of our favourite spots for the “Big Search” for unusual trilliums is along the Lower Lost Frog Trail in Campbell River’s Snowden Demonstration Forest and we were once more successful this year. One usually finds the extra petals of the double trillium to be incomplete or malformed, but photo 1 attached is of a rather perfect specimen. And then…we found what was, for us, an even rarer mutant(?)- a trillium trying for 9 petals and which had at least 6 leaves, over 3 sepals and at least 2 pistils/stamens sets.
