[The Saxifrage Family West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Fringecup, Bigflower Tellima, Fragrant Fringecup, Large Fringecup

Tellima grandiflora

Synonym: Tellima odorata

Close-up of the flower of Fringecup, Bigflower Tellima, Fragrant Fringecup: Tellima grandiflora (Synonym: Tellima odorata)

A close-up of the flower of fringecup as seen in Gresham, OR........May 3, 2009.

Characteristics:

Fringecup is an attractive perennial with leafy stems rising 30-90 cm from a basal cluster of leaves atop a decumbent rhizome. The basal leaves are simple and roughly heart-shaped with several toothed lobes. The blades are 5-10 cm wide and the hairy petiole is 10-20 cm long. The 2-3 stem leaves are reduced in size and nearly sessile.

The inflorescence is a loose raceme bearing 6-35 cup-shaped flowers. The calyx is 8-11 mm long. The petals are white, pink, or red (or even green or brown), and are found at the lip of the cup or calyx. The petals are pinnately divided into thin sections, hence providing the name fringe for fringecup. There are 10 stamens.


Habitat:

Fringecups are found in moist forests and clearings, or along streams at low to middle elevations. They tend to like rich soils with lots of humus.


Range:

Fringecups may be found from southern Alaska south along the coast and inland to the Cascade crest to just south of San Francisco, CA. They may be found further inland across British Columbia to western Montana, northern Idaho, and northeastern Washington.


Flower of Fringecup, Bigflower Tellima, Fragrant Fringecup, Large Fringecup: Tellima grandiflora (Synonym: Tellima odorata) - Sideview of the calyx and petals of Fringecup, Bigflower Tellima, Fragrant Fringecup, Large Fringecup: Tellima grandiflora (Synonym: Tellima odorata)

Additional views of the flower of fringecup as seen in forest at the base of Saddle Mountain in the Coast Range of northwestern Oregon.........May 21, 2009.

Flowers of Fringecup, Bigflower Tellima, Fragrant Fringecup, Large Fringecup: Tellima grandiflora (Synonym: Tellima odorata)

Fringecups beginning to bloom in the webmaster's woodland garden in Gresham, OR......April 9, 2020.

Paul Slichter