About Melanthium woodii (J.W.Robbins ex Alph.Wood) Bodkin
Melanthium woodii, commonly called Wood's bunchflower or Ozark bunch-flower, is a plant species that was formerly classified as Veratrum woodii. It is native to central and southeastern regions of the United States, occurring in the states of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. It grows in forested habitats at elevations below 800 meters (2700 feet). Melanthium woodii is a perennial herb that forms bulbs up to 1.6 cm (0.64 inches) across, and spreads via underground rhizomes. Its leaves range in shape from elliptic to oblanceolate, and can grow up to 50 cm in length. Its inflorescences can reach up to 60 cm (2 feet) in length. The species' most distinctive identifying features are found in its flowers: no other species in the genus Melanthium has chocolate brown tepals and tomentose young ovaries.
