Trillium simile
Gleason
Jeweled Wakerobin
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
VulnerableIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Sunny Fleming, CC BY-NC 4.0
dbond, CC BY-NC 4.0
dbond, CC BY-NC 4.0
Will Kuhn, CC BY 4.0
Will Kuhn, CC BY 4.0
Will Kuhn, CC BY 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.143834
Element CodePMLIL200V0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNVulnerable
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderLiliales
FamilyMelanthiaceae
GenusTrillium
Other Common Names
jeweled wakerobin (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
The concept of T. simile is likely to become narrower in the future based on floral scent characteristics. Trillium simile is said to have flowers that have a pleasant smell like green apples, but the current range includes plants with flowers with an unpleasant smell described as wet dog.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2020-02-28
Change Date1992-04-27
Edition Date2020-02-28
Edition Authorsrev. A. Olivero (2002), rev. Treher (2018, 2019)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Trillium simile is endemic to the Southern Appalachians of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee where it occurs on rich soils over mafic or calcareous rocks. There are over 50 occurrences with many found on National Forest or State Park Lands. The most serious threat is from development but the most frequent is damage from feral pigs and trash dumping. About a dozen occurrences are considered historical and one occurrence is extirpated.
Range Extent Comments
Trillium simile is endemic to the southern Appalachians and occurs in western North Carolina, northwestern South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and northern Georgia (Weakley 2000).
Occurrences Comments
There are over 50 extant occurrences documented in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Throughout the species range, there are an additional 11 to 12 historical occurrences and one extirpated occurrence.
Threat Impact Comments
Trillium simile has a narrow range in the vicinity of the Smoky Mountains and the southern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, making it especially vulnerable to land-use conversion and habitat fragmentation, such as development for cabins and second homes. Forest management practices are a low-level threat to this species (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002). In addition, numerous occurrences are threatened by feral pigs, white-tailed deer, and roadside mowing. Some sites are threatened by recreation and utility lines.
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Trillium simile occurs in mature forests within rich coves, forest edges, and edges of Rhododendron thickets. It is commonly found in moist humus soil near water sources like seepage areas or streams (FNA 2002, Weakley 2000).
Reproduction
Trillium seeds have an elaiosome, an oily, lipid-rich attachment that is highly attractive to ants. The ants carry the seeds to their nest, eat the attachment, and leave the seeds in tunnels in their nests (FNA 2002a, Leege et al. 2010). The seeds later germinate en masse (Case and Case 1997). Yellow jackets (Vespula spp.) and other wasps are similarly attracted to the elaiosome. Yellow jackets are documented seed dispersers for three species (T. catesbaei, T. cuneatum, T. undulatum) (Zettler et al. 2001). Ants carry the seeds an average of about 1m whereas yellow jackets disperse seeds an average of 1.4m (Chafin 2010, Zettler et al. 2001). Long distance dispersers include mammals, such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and woodchucks (Marmota monax) (Chafin 2010, Vellend et al. 2006). Similarly, it is suspected that elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) of the western U.S.A. are capable of dispersing seeds over long distances (Bartuszevige and Endress 2008).
All Trillium have rhizomes but the frequency of asexually reproduction varies (Chauhan et al. 2019, FNA 2002a, Ohara 1989).
Trillium seeds exhibit a somewhat unique kind of dormancy called deep simple double morphophysiological dormancy, meaning they require two winters and one summer to complete dormancy break. After dispersal, roots (radicles) emerge in the first spring and leaves (epicotyls) begin growing in the second spring. The result is that Trillium seeds are generally about 1.5-2 years before they are non-dormant. If root emergence does not occur during the first spring, the next opportunity for root emergence would be the third spring and epicotyl emergence would occur during the fourth spring after dispersal (Walck et al. 2005). Age to maturity, or flowering, is variable and has been recorded from 4 to 20 years depending on growing conditions (Case and Case 1997).
All Trillium have rhizomes but the frequency of asexually reproduction varies (Chauhan et al. 2019, FNA 2002a, Ohara 1989).
Trillium seeds exhibit a somewhat unique kind of dormancy called deep simple double morphophysiological dormancy, meaning they require two winters and one summer to complete dormancy break. After dispersal, roots (radicles) emerge in the first spring and leaves (epicotyls) begin growing in the second spring. The result is that Trillium seeds are generally about 1.5-2 years before they are non-dormant. If root emergence does not occur during the first spring, the next opportunity for root emergence would be the third spring and epicotyl emergence would occur during the fourth spring after dispersal (Walck et al. 2005). Age to maturity, or flowering, is variable and has been recorded from 4 to 20 years depending on growing conditions (Case and Case 1997).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - HardwoodForest Edge
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | S2 | Yes |
| Tennessee | SNR | Yes |
| North Carolina | S2 | Yes |
| South Carolina | S1 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Residential & commercial development | Restricted (11-30%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 1.1 - Housing & urban areas | Restricted (11-30%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 4 - Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 4.1 - Roads & railroads | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 4.2 - Utility & service lines | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 6 - Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 6.1 - Recreational activities | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 6.3 - Work & other activities | Unknown | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Large (31-70%) | Moderate - slight | High (continuing) |
| 8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Large (31-70%) | Moderate - slight | High (continuing) |
| 8.2 - Problematic native species/diseases | Large (31-70%) | Moderate - slight | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (6)
Georgia (4)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Boggs Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 2,073 |
| Helton Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 2,348 |
| Pink Knob | Chattahoochee National Forest | 12,127 |
| Turner Creek | Chattahoochee National Forest | 1,495 |
Tennessee (2)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Little Frog Addition NW | Cherokee National Forest | 628 |
| Sampson Mountain Addition | Cherokee National Forest | 3,064 |
References (20)
- Bartuszevige, A.M., and B.A. Endress. 2008. Do ungulates facilitate native and exotic plant spread? Seed dispersal by cattle, elk and deer in northeastern Oregon. Journal of Arid Environments 72: 904-913.
- Case, F.W. and R.B. Case. 1997. Trilliums. Timber Press, Portland Oregon.
- Chafin, L. G. 2010d. Species account for <i>Trillium persistens </i>for Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Online. Available: georgiawildlife.com/sites/default/files/uploads/wildlife/nongame/pdf/accounts/plants/trillium_persistens.pdf.
- Chauhan, H., A. Bisht, I. Bhatt, A. Bhatt, and D. Gallacher. 2019. <i>Trillium </i>- toward sustainable utilization of a biologically distinct genus valued for traditional medicine. The Botanical Review 85(3): 252-272.
- Fernald, M.L., and A.C. Kinsey. 1943. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. Idlewild Press, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY. xiv+452 pp.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
- Hawk, A. M. 2017. Habitat modeling of a rare endemic Trillium species (Trillium simile Gleason): A comparison of the methods Maxent and Domain for modeling rare species-rich habitat. M.S. thesis. Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC. 64 pp.
- Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
- Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- Klest, S.M. 2002. Propagation Protocol for Western Trilliums. Native Plants Journal 3(1):22-23.
- Leege, L. M., J. S. Thompson, D.J. Parris. 2010. The Responses of Rare and Common Trilliums (<i>Trillium reliquum</i>, <i>T. cuneatum</i>, and <i>T. maculatum</i>) to Deer Herbivory and Invasive Honeysuckle Removal. Castanea 75(4): 433-443.
- Lewis, Walter H., and Memory P.F. Elvin-Lewis. 1977. Medical Botany: Plants Affecting Man's Health. John Wiley and Sons, New York, New York. 515 p.
- Ohara, M. 1989. Life history evolution in the genus Trillium. Plant Species Biology 4:1-28.
- Rahman, S., M. Ismail, M. Khurram, I. Ullah, F. Rabbi, and M. Iriti. 2017. Bioactive steroids and saponins of the genus <i>Trillium. </i> Molecules 22(12): 2156.
- Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
- Trillium workshop group. 2019. , L. L. Gaddy, A. Floden, A. Frances, A. Highland, D. Leaman, T. Littlefield, C. Meredith, S. O'Bryan, L. Oliver, E. Schilling, A. Schotz, A. Walker, K. Wayman. Status assessment workshop at Mt. Cuba Center, Oct. 21-23, 2019.
- Vellend, M., J. Myers, S. Gardescu, and P. Marks. 2003. Dispersal of <i>Trillium</i> seeds by deer: Implications for long-distance migration of forest herbs. Ecology 84(4):1067-1072.
- Walck, J.L., J.M. Baskin, C.C. Baskin, and S.N. Hidayati. Defining transient and persistent seed banks in species with pronounced seasonal dormancy and germination patterns. Seed Science Research 15: 189-196. DOI: 10.1079/SSR2005209
- Weakley, A.S. 2000. Flora of the Carolinas and Virginia: working draft of May 15, 2000. Unpublished draft, The Nature Conservancy, Southern Resource Office.
- Zettler, J. A., T. P. Spira, and A. A. Craig. 2001. Yellow Jackets (<i>Vespula</i> spp.) Disperse <i>Trillium</i> (spp.) Seeds in Eastern North America. American Midland Naturalist 146(2):444-446.