2. Trillium , Sp. Pl. 1: 339 (1753).
Taxon Description
Perennial herbs, with stout, horizontal, creeping, annulate rhizome. Stem erect, simple, with a few brown scale leaves. Leaves 3, in a terminal whorl at or above the middle of the stem, sessile or shortly petiolate, rhombic-orbicular to ovate, with 3–5 main and anastomosing veinlets. Flower solitary, terminal, sessile or pedicellate. Outer tepals 3, herbaceous, free, spreading, usually green, persistent; inner tepals 3, slightly narrower than outer tepals, withering or deciduous after anthesis. Stamens 6, attached at the base of tepals, filament short, anthers basifixed, linear with very short connective prolonged upward, dehiscing inward. Ovary ovoid to sub-globose, 3-locular, ovules many per locule. Style short, deeply 3-lobed often to a base, arms recurved within. Fruit a berry, globose to ovoid. Seeds several to many, ovoid, small.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide about 44 species (Christenhusz et al., 2017). One species in Nepal.
1. Trillium govanianum Wall. ex Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. Mts. 1: 384, pl. 93, f. 1 (1839).
Trillidium govanianum (Wall. ex D.Don) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 5: 120 (1850).
नक्कली सतुवा Nakkali Satuwa (Nepali).
Perennial herbs, 14–35 cm tall, 1–4mm diameter at base having slightly elongate, terete creeping rhizome. Stem erect, solitary. Scale leaves pale brown at the base of stem. Leaves 3, in a terminal whorl at or above the middle of the stem, sessile or shortly petiolate, rhombic-orbicular to ovate, base truncate to shallowly cordate, 3.4–9.5 X 1.8–8.5 cm, with 3–5 main and anastomosing veinlets. Pedicel 4–18 mm, erect, straight, not greatly lengthening in fruit. Tepals 6, reflexed, outer three sometimes slightly wider, linear, acute, 1–1.5 cm X 4–5 mm, inner tepals narrower 1–1.5 cm X 1–3 mm, very similar to outer ones in shape or subequal, greenish or reddish to blackish purple. Stamens as long as tepals, filaments short 1.5–3 mm, anther 1–2 mm, apiculate. Ovary narrowly ellipsoid to narrowly ovoid, smooth, 1.5–8 X 2–6 mm, purple-red, stigma 3-lobed, 3–4 mm. Fruit a berry 4–15 X 4–10mm, dark purple to black.
Distribution: Nepal, W Himalaya, E Himalaya and Tibetan-Plateau.
Altitudinal Range: 2700−4000 m.
Ecology: Shady places under bamboos and Rhododendron spp., etc.
Flowering: March−July. Fruiting: July−August.
Rhizome is used as medicine.