Green in Winter: False Rue Anemone

Frequent in mesic woods, Isopyrum biternatum is one of the most abundant green plants in winter. In a very cold winter the leaves are mostly purple. It's a member of the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family) and its white flowers are a big part of the floral display in springtime woodlands. The flowers have no petals - just white petaloid sepals (aka "tepals")! Photographed at Bendix Woods County Park in St. Joe County, Indiana, on January 7, 2011.

This is how the plant looked in April, 2011 at Turkey Run State Park in west-central Indiana.

"The more thou learnest to know and enjoy, the more full and complete will be for thee the delight of living." Frances Theodora Parsons, 1899.