Bloodroot Today

I found this pretty little flower blooming today in southwestern Virginia in the Thomas Jefferson National Forest. I have been tracking a few individuals of this species, trying to catch a variety of stages of its growth. For those who are curious, its Latin name is Sanguinaria Canadensis. I don't usually like to get too technical, but the Latin name can help some folks make a positive ID. This individual is also shown below, including with the chapstick for perspective. This plant was in full flower today, but I regret to say it was not exactly photogenic. And then the worst part is, on my way BACK down the trail at the end of my afternoon, I noticed that the flower had been PLUCKED. So the photo you see here is of a plant that no longer has its flower, and will be unable to make seeds this year. I suspect a person decided to pick the "pretty flower" on their way walking down the trail. I feel sad and upset when this happens because most wildflowers WILT very soon after being picked, so the picker soon tosses them in the dirt and walks away. These are not the supermarket type of flowers that are made to sit in a vase or get pinned to a shirt. So PLEASE NEVER PICK WILDFLOWERS, not even ONE.