Taken with a Canon 100 mm “macro” lens, a Kodak digital single lens reflex body, a Manfrotto tripod and ample time and patience.
Enjoy!
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Life from Death
while trillium
Tag: Trillium grandiflorum
Are White and Red Trillium a different species?
A question of speciation
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Questions about speciation of flora can be complex and are so in the case of trillium. A straightforward answer is “yes,” white and red trillium are different species with distinct characteristics, as can be seen from the first photograph.
The white trillium below are in the species Trillium grandiflorum as evidenced by coloration, the shapes of the flower petals and anthers. For this discussion I will focus on the flower petal shape and coloration. The grandiflorum petals are broad at the base and wavy, compared to the more blade-like red trillium, Trillium erectum, straight-edged petals.
There is the obvious difference of color, but Trillium erectum has a white form, not seen here.
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Then, there is this specimen, below, with a stippling of red on blade-like petals with wavy edges. Here is where the experts differ and, in summary, many believe trillium species are an interrelated complex with the possibility of hybridization, sharing of genetic material between the different species to produce fertile offspring. This specimen may be an example of this hybridization.
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Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Massed White Trillium Blooms
Wonder of the northern spring forest
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I came upon this display April 2004, a wonder of the northern spring forest.
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Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
May Nature Walk
Our first post COVID outing
Pam and I headed out to Treman Park for a walk to the Lucifer Falls overlook. The Gorge Trail is not yet open due to the danger of rock falling from the gorge walls — the park maintenance staff needs to survey winter damage and knock down material in danger of falling.
Our first stop was the mill waterfall. This was was directed to the mill stream to power the mill where grain was ground to order.
Here is an overview of the Mill, now a museum not yet opened post-Covid. The millstone stands at the start of the foot trails. All media on this post is from my IPhone 7, lightweight equipment for this hike. The automatic upload to ICloud is convenient.
Round trip is four-plus miles, with several hundred feet elevation change. Pam and I discussed a car caravan for our next visit, to support a one-way downhill hike (still plenty of uphill hiking). We need to work up to the round trip after our winter inactivity.
Trillium are in bloom!!
Multiple overlooks into the gorge grace this trail.
More trillium before we reached the overlook. Lucifer falls and the incredible path etched into the cliff by the Civilian Conservation Corps (Roosevelt’s Tree Army during the Depression).
After the Lucifer Falls overlook is this stupendous view from the top of the Cliff Stairs, 224 steps continue to link to the Gorge and South Rim trails.
As we lingered on the top steps the flowering plants slowly revealed themselves.
I captured this tragic image on the return trip….a trillium discarded on the trail. Stiff fines await anyone caught doing this.
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Fillmore Glen Gallery
A Successful Outing during COVID-19
Here is a gallery recapping my afternoon among the wonders of Fillmore Glen, a New York State park, Moravia, New York. I visited there during the New York COVID-19 “PAUSE.” ENJOY!!
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The Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) is named for the mottled brown leaves resembling marking on trout. 
The Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) is named for the mottled brown leaves resembling marking on trout. 
The Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) is named for the mottled brown leaves resembling marking on trout. 
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Early Spring VII
Hundreds of While Trillium
Fillmore Glen is a supportive environment for trillium, as seen in these overview shots.
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Early Spring VI
Aspect Continuum
White Trillium from different aspects.
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above same level below
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Early Spring V
Purple vs. White Trillium
Purple Trillium, a different species from the white, present different challenges. The purple blooms tend to dip down toward the ground. White flowers face upward toward the sky. My successful photographs of purple (Click me for another Purple Trillium posting) have the camera lower than the plant, say where there is a bank above the trail.
Shot from beneath, White Trillium project a hopeful air. Here is a comparison of the two species in the environmental and individual treatments.
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f29 / 1/8 second f32 / 1/8 second
f4 / 1/320 second f4.5 / 1/320 second
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Early Spring IV
exploring Trillium habitat
Trillium as subjects are a continual challenge to find the compelling composition. Click me for another Trillium posting.
This afternoon’s sky was overcast, perfect for photographing wildflowers: clouds thin enough for light to pour through. In the clouds’ shadow there is not enough light for the plant to cast its own distracting shadows. Compare an earlier trillium photograph (click me to go there).
For the following photograph is a study in habitat. At f32, focusing on the trillium, the surroundings are clearly identifiable: several budding Foam Flower heads (Scientific Name: Tiarella), fern, rotting wood, the forest floor hidden by leaf clutter.
I released the shutter (with a 2 second delay) during a break in spring breezes, the overcast lighting bright enough for a speedy 1/8 second exposure. The focus on the opening trillium bloom is just as crisp in this exposure as the next.
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At 4 f-stop, the entire plant is in focus while many habitat elements are a soft blur. An interesting point is the leaf on the left. It is in focus somewhat and is a distraction. This was an issue, in my opinion, for the first photograph.
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Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Spring Outing V
Wildflower Groupings
Red Trillium are early bloomers, along with Hepatica. I often photograph them together. Click me for a 2019 Red Trillium post of photographs from 2007 taken in Fillmore Glen Park.
Here we have two photographs from the end of the April 20, 2020 session. I finished a series of macro Hepatica and, tired (emotionally, not physically) and not wanting to step up the slope, captured the following grouping of a single Red Trillium, lit by a bolt of sunlight, White Hepatica, fern and the budding White Trillim from yesterday’s post. Not the same trillium, a continuation of all the individuals in bud.
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These were 15 feet or so up the slope above the South Rim Trail. I used the 100 mm macro lens, with the spring breezes ISO set to 2500, f/5.6 for a 1/200 exposure.
Not far away, also upslope, was this flower grouping against a moss covered log. Park forestry leaves fallen trees in place to return to the soil. Camera settings are the same.
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 
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