Fragrant Fringe Cup

Description:

Tellima grandiflora (Fringecups, Bigflower Tellima) is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Saxifragaceae. A herbaceous plant, with rounded leaves, emerging from a rootstock, up to 30cm high. It is evergreen in mild winters. Flowers are borne in spring and early summer, on spikes up to 60cm high. The green calyx is 6–8 mm long; the five flower petals are greenish-white to purple, pinnately divided and spreading. The petals are deeply fringed.

Habitat:

The plant is a native of moist forests in western North America, from Alaska and British Columbia to northern California.[1] It is the only species in the genus Tellima.[2][3] It can be a garden escape and become naturalised in some other areas, e.g. Great Britain.

Notes:

It is widely grown in gardens. Different strains have been developed. It seeds itself freely in suitable climates. This plant, crushed and made into an infusion, was used by the Skagit to aid people in sicknesses such as loss of appetite.[4] Ellagitannins are chemical compounds that have potential antiviral activity.[5] Tellimagrandin II, the first of the ellagitannins, formed from pentagalloyl glucose, is laccase-catalyzed dimerised to cornusiin E in T. grandiflora.[