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The apical flowers of prairie trillium have three green sepals that are reflexed so they point down, three maroon petals, six maroon stamens with dark purple anthers incurved toward the center of the flower, and three purple styles with divergent stigmas hidden from view by the stamens. The fruit is a green, six-angled, ovoid berry 1" long; the seeds have an oily food appendage (an elaiosome) that encourages ants to carry them away. Despite the name, prairie trillium does not occur on prairies; it is a shade-loving, woodland plant like the other local trillium, large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). Prairie trillium is superficially similar to toadshade (Trillium sessile), but in toadshade the sepals are spread (perpendicular to the stalk), not recurved (parallel to the stalk, pointed down). In addition, the leaves of toadshade are sessile (no petiole) and rarely have the troutlily-like mottling on the leaves that is seen on prairie trillium. The stamens of toadshade are yellow, not maroon. Toadshade does occur in Illinois, but it is less common, and I have yet to see it in Jackson Park.

Trillium

Trillium recurvatum

prairie trillium [Blooms: Apr-May]