Trillium

I just recently came to know about these, special to me, plants. The trillium reflects the trinity, the Godhead, with its three by three pattern. The white trillium above was also found at a nature reserve. However, I have seen them now at three locations total. Despite the rain, I had to stop and take these pictures.

From wikipedia:

• Plants of this genus are perennial herbs growing from rhizomes. They produce scapes which are erect and straight in most species. There are three large bracts arranged in a whorl about the scape. There are no true aboveground leaves. There are sometimes scalelike leaves on the underground rhizome. The leaflike bracts are photosynthetic and are sometimes called leaves. The inflorescence is a single flower. There are two subgenera. In T. subg. Trillium the flowers are mostly borne on a short stalk (pedicellate) whereas in T. subg. Phyllantherum the flowers are born directly on the bracts (sessile). The flower has three green or reddish sepals and usually three petals in shades of red, purple, pink, white, yellow, or green. There are six stamens at the center. There are three stigmas that are borne on a very short style, if any. The fruit is fleshy and capsule-like or berrylike. The seeds have large, oily elaiosomes.
• A white trillium serves as the emblem and official flower of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is an official symbol of the Government of Ontario. The large white trillium is the official wildflower of Ohio.; in light of their shared connection to the flower, the Major League Soccer teams in Toronto and Columbus compete with each other for the Trillium Cup.

I believe these red trillium are more rare. I've only seen them in one location. There were about 150 plants one day, but only three days later, I could only count about 90. I am not sure if they "closed up" due to colder temperature, or were a delicacy for the local animals. Regardless, they are spectacular.

According to wikipedia, these may actually be: Prairie trillium (Trillium recurvatum)

More white trillium. I never pass them by without taking pictures despite having hundreds of photographs of them so far.

I love how they turn a bit purple (or pink) and become translucent as they start to turn at the end of the season. They only flower for a short period, maybe two or three weeks.