Saxifrage Family – Saxifragaceae
Actual flower size: 1/2 inch across
Bare-stemmed Mitrewort is also called Common Mitrewort, Naked Mitrewort, or Creeping Bishop’s Cap. Another Latin name for this plant is Mitella prostrata.
Plant Description: Bare-stemmed Mitrewort is a 2 to 8 inches tall perennial. The stem is finely hairy, leafless (except it may have a small reduced leaf near the base), and has 3 to 12 small, green flowers along the top half of the stem. The leaves are basal, long-petioled, heart to kidney-shaped, about 1 inch long, with rounded teeth and a few fine, stiff hairs on the upper surface.
Flower Description: The flowers are 1/2 inch across. The flowers are greenish-white saucers with 5 rounded lobes. The 5 petals are greenish-white or greenish-yellow, .2 inch long, and TV antenna-like, with 8 laterals. There are 10 stamens.
Ecology: Bare-stemmed Mitrewort grows in bogs swamps, stream banks and wet forests mostly on the east side
Note: The 10 stamen set this mitrewort apart from the other miterworts of Washington which have only 5 stamen. It is now the only Washington Mitrewort in the Mitella genus. The other Mitreworts have been moved to Ozomelis or Pectiantia.