Hepatica Blossoms

If you ask me, Hepatica is one of the prettiest early spring wildflowers. Truth is, I love them all. Here is a shot of Hepatica acutiloba, which I found near Greenbriar Cove in the Smokies on April 11, 2006. These plants were growing along a steep cliff beside the road. I chose a weekday to work at this location since I wanted to avoid traffic as I set up the tripod oon the edge of the road.
Hepatica is in the buttercup family. Its flower has the same general structures and shape as the classic yellow buttercup that often grows on lawns. Later during April, I was able to photograph hepatica fruits developing on stems where the pretty pinkish/white flowers had been.
I also have several photos of hepatica leaves. The three-lobed leaves, with mottled appearance (like the human liver) helps explain how hepatica got its name. Hepatic refers to liver. Hepatica was once used to treat people with liver disease, according to the "Doctrine of Signatures," the ancient idea that the appearance of a plant serves as a clue from nature to tell humans what type of ailaments the plant can be used to heal.