About Vancouveria planipetala Calloni
Vancouveria planipetala Calloni is a rhizomatous perennial herb with a short stem that grows mostly underground. It forms a patch of basal leaves, each composed of round or heart-shaped leaflets carried on long, reddish petioles. Its inflorescence emerges in May and June, consisting of a panicle of flowers growing on a long, upright peduncle. Each small, drooping flower has six inner sepals that resemble petals. These sepals are a few millimeters long, white, and curve backward or upward away from the center of the flower. Smaller true petals lie against these sepals; they are white or tinged with purple, and have flat or notched tips. Each flower also has six stamens and a large glandular ovary. This species is grown as an ornamental plant, used for planting in native plant gardens and wildlife gardens. The plant is native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon, occurring in the Klamath Mountains and the northern California Coast Ranges. It grows in forests, particularly Coast redwood forests.
