April Mayapple, just rising up from leaf covered forest floor . . .
(Podophyllum peltatum = Foot-like + shield-like) . . .
North American native.

Mayapple is a forest perennial of the Barberry Family. It forms a uniform colony
of plants reaching only about 25 cm above the forest floor. Each plant has a single
stalk, a single leaf, and a single flower. [Shown above.]  Later during the summer,
the flower develops into a pulpy yellow fruit -- the apple. The beautiful structure
of the flower is easily missed, not only because it faces the ground, but also
because they are largely covered by the umbrella-like leaf canopy. 
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