Starflowers (Trientalis borealis), such as this one, have been blooming in our woods for about 10 days now.
They prefer damp, mossy woods with dappled sunlight, but will grow in most coniferous (softwood) and deciduous (hardwood) forests. They should remain abundant here until mid to late June, if our weather stays cool and moist.
These herbs are members of the primrose family that grow from creeping underground stems (rhizomes). Their aboveground stalks supposedly average about four inches in height. (Hence, the genus name of Trientalis, which apparently is from the Latin for “one-third of a foot.”)
At the tip of each stalk is a whorl of five to nine leaves; the leaves are shaped like the head of a lance (lanceolate leaves). One or two white flowers with five to nine petals extend from the center of the leaf whorl and are shaped like brightening stars. Some people hunt for “Lucky Stars” that have a seven-petaled flower atop a seven-leafed stalk. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on May 25, 2022.)