| Two-leaved miterwort | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mitella diphylla in Hector, New York | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Saxifragaceae |
| Genus: | Mitella |
| Species: | M. diphylla |
| Binomial name | |
| Mitella diphylla | |
Mitella diphylla (twoleaf miterwort, [1] two-leaved mitrewort, [2] or bishop's cap) [3] is a clump forming, open woodland plant native to northeast and midwest regions of North America. [4]
Miterwort grows from a rhizomatous root system with fibrous roots. Leaves are coarsely toothed with 3-5 shallow lobes. [5] Most leaves are basal, and there is one opposite pair of stemless leaves on each flower stalk.
Tiny flowers with finely divided, lacy white petals are produced in mid-spring in racemes on stems growing from 20 to 50 cm (8 to 20 in) tall.
The seeds are tiny, 1.2–1.6 mm (0.05–0.06 in), [5] produced in small green cups, formed from the sepals of the flower, and when ripe are shiny and black. [6] They are spread when raindrops hit the cups and splash the seeds out. [3]
It grows in high quality mesic forests on moist, mossy ledges and north-facing slopes. The Latin specific epithet diphylla means two-leaved and is in reference to the non-basal leaves. [4]
The flowers produce both pollen and nectar. Due to their small size, they are mainly visited by small bees and flies: for instance, Lasioglossum sweat bees, small carpenter bees (Ceratina) and hoverflies. [7]
This species is grown as an ornamental plant in shade gardens. It prefers wet-mesic to dry soil and partial shade. [7]
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