Violet Family These violets have not only the colorful, easily seen flowers, but also "cleistogamous" --- closed, self-pollinating --- flowers that grow near the ground. The seed pods of these flowers later mature, split open and throw their seeds. These were blooming in the woods in Oak Ridge. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Haw Ridge, Ijams Nature Center, widespread
The leaves look similar to morning glories, but the plant is in the Yam family. This plant is a nasty weed that chokes out native plants, it is causing serious problems in the Smoky Mountains. I photographed these plants at the University of Tennessee Arboretum. The plant reproduces by small brown, potato-like tubers on the vine. Perennial Where seen:Oak Ridge Greenways, University of Tennessee Arboretum, Great Smoky Mountains NP
Arum Family Height: 8" to 40" May 18, 2005 This was one of those lucky accidental finds! I was photographing Veined Skullcap on one side of the trail, I turned around and saw the leaves of this plant. The flower is very unusual and hard to see since it is green (and VERY difficult to photograph, I might add!). If I had not noticed the leaves I would have never seen this flower. Like its' close relative, the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, the flower has an inner spathe and the greatly elongated spadix which contains the flowers. Perennial Where seen: Haw Ridge and Northridge greenways
