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HARBINGER-OF-SPRING When the warmer weather arrives and the snow melts, many people take to the woods to seek out the first signs of spring. One of those first signs is the tiny wildflower, Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa [Michaux] Nuttall). This plant is the only species within this genus. Harbinger-of-Spring is a member of the Order Apiales, the Suborder Apiineae, the Family Apiaceae, and the Subfamily Apioideae. It has not been listed in a Tribe. Older references list the family as Umbelliferae. The generic name, Erigenia, is from the Greek word, Erigeneia, which is “spring born”, “born in the spring”, or “early born”. Erigeneia was the name Homer gave to Eos (a.k.a Aurora), the goddess of dawn. The specific epithet, bulbosa, is Latin for “bulbous” or “swollen”, referring to its root system. Another scientific synonym for this species is Sison bulbosum Michaux. Other common names for this plant are Pepper-and-Salt, Ground Nut, Turkey Pea, and Turkey Foot. DESCRIPTION OF THE HARBINGER-OF-SPRING Perennial Height: Its height is 2-10 inches. Its height increases after flowering. Stem: Its stem is hollow, stout, smooth, longitudinally ridged, erect or reclining, and purplish or red-brown with a light green base. There may be more than 1 stem. Leaves: The leaves do not fully unfold until after the flowers have gone to seed. These leaves must obtain enough food from photosynthesis before the leaves of other plant species have matured and have shaded out this plant. Basal Leaves: Its basal leaves are numerous Stem Leaves: Its 1-2 stem leaves are alternate, palmately compound, and are twice divided into 3 delicate, fern-like leaflets. Each leaflet is over 1½ inches wide and is divided into narrow oval, oblong, or lobed toothless segments with rounded tips. These leaves are sheathed at the base of their petioles, which clasp the stem. Flowers: Its flowers are terminally arranged in small, simple, rounded, umbelled clusters. Each umbel is subtended by leafy bracts. Each umbel has about 1-4 stalked, ½-3/4 inch wide umbellets with about 1-6 sessile flowers each. Each umbellate is subtended by leafy bractlets. Each flower is radially symmetrical, about 1/16-1/8 inches long, and about ¼1/3 inches wide. The flower has 5 narrow white or pink petals; 5 tiny sepals; 5 stamens with red-brown, purple, or red-black anthers; and 1 pistil with a divided white style. All flowering parts are attached at the base of the ovary. Flowering season is January to May. These flowers stay in bloom for about 1 month. These flowers are insect-pollinated, mostly by Bees (Superfamily Apoidea) and by Flies (Order Diptera). The early spring weather must be warm enough for these ectothermic (cold-blooded) insects to pollinate. These flowers contain very small amounts of nectar. This nectar only contains the sugar fructose. Fruit: Its fruit is a smooth, dry, seed-like schizocarp. It is about 1/16 inches wide and slightly flattened. It has 5 slender ribs and a persistent 2-prong style. It later splits into 2 segments with each segment having only 1 seed. Roots: Its roots are a deep, small, rounded tuber or corm with fibrous roots. They are not true bulbs. These corms store food over the winter and allow the plant to emerge in early spring. Unlike other plants, these roots do not have a mycorrhizal association with the fungi. This plant can spread by its roots and can form loose colonies. Habitat: Its habitats consist of rich, open deciduous woods; floodplains; streambanks; slopes; terraces; roadsides; and leaf litter. Range: Its range covers most of the eastern U.S. and Ontario. It excludes New England and Florida. Uses: Harbingers-of-Spring had some uses. Both the Native Americans and the early European settlers used it. The Cherokee Tribe chewed upon this plan to treat toothaches. It is not known which part of the plant was used. The tuberous roots are edible in the early spring. However, they are deeply buried and are difficult to obtain. They can be eaten raw or cooked. They probably sustained many Native Americans when other foods were scarce. REFERENCES WILDFLOWERS OF WISCONSIN By Merel R. Black and Emmet J. Judziewicz NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION FIELD GUIDE TO WILDFLOWERS OF NORTH AMERICA By David M. Brandenburg WILDFLOWERS IN THE FIELD AND FOREST By Steven Clements and Carol Gracie THE HISTORY AND FOLKLORE OF NORTH AMERICAN WILDFLOWERS By Timothy Coffey THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF EDIBLE PLANTS OF NORTH AMERICA By Francois Couplan, Ph. D. WILDFLOWERS AND WEEDS By Booth Courtenay and James H. Zimmerman MISSOURI WILDFLOWERS By Edgar Denison EDIBLE WILD PLANTS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA By Merritt Lyndon Fernald and Alfred Charles Kinsey WILDFLOWERS OF OHIO By Robert L. Henn WILDFLOWERS AND FERNS OF INDIANA FORESTS By Michael A. Homoya ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS By Don Kurz EASTERN NORTH AMERICA’S WILDFLOWERS By Louis C. Linn NATIVE AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS By Daniel E. Moerman NEWCOMB’S WILDFLOWER GUIDE By Lawrence Newcomb and Gordon Morrison EDIBLE WILD PLANTS By Lee Allen Peterson WILDFLOWERS By Roger Tory Peterson and Margaret McKenny BORN IN THE SPRING By June Carver Roberts THE USES OF WILD PLANTS By Frank Tozer WILDFLOWERS OF NORTH AMERICA By Frank D. Venning and Manabu C. Saito LIFE AND LORE OF ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS By William E. Werner, Jr. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erigenia_bulbosa www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/harbinger.htm