Lucas Land

White Clintonia

Clintonia umbellulata

This flower of early spring was found in the Gorge and on all wooded slopes where the soil was rich. A member of the lily family, this plant has very distinctive leaves. They are upright, shiny green and come 2 to 4 per plant with a length of one foot and 3 to 4 inches wide. When there are only two leaves, they are easily distinguishable from moccasin flower in that the leaves of the clintonia are not deeply veined like moccasin flower leaves. Flowers are in a terminal tight cluster arising out of the center of the leaves. The white flowers have 6 regular parts about one-half inch long. This another plant that forms fairly large colonies when conditions are right.