Day 167: Spring is coming on in a rush! I spotted my first Trillium of the season just a few days ago, quite near this site along the Bud Blancher Trail where today they were out in dozens. Following close on the heels of Skunk Cabbage, Trillium boasts a common name reflecting its early emergence: Wake-robin. A charming term, it is sadly falling into disuse for the white-flowered variety, more often to be heard in the eastern portion of the United States where a red-blooming species carries the name. Like so many common names, it may also refer to other unrelated plants, a confusion which less romantic Latin resolves. As much as I prefer using scientific nomenclature for clarity's sake, the phrase "Wake-robin" conjures up a delightful vision of fantasy forests too enchanting to resist.
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