Two-leaf Miterwort

Mitella diphylla

In almost every one of these wildflower blog posts, I say “get up close with it!”

If there’s one flower you really must get up close with though, it’s this one.

Two-leaved Miterwort aka “bishop’s cap” has tiny, spidery flowers, each with five fringed petals that curl back to reveal a golden ring of stamens within. Each plant has one opposite pair of leaves situated on the stem below the flowers, which is where the “two-leaved” name comes from. There are also a number of basal leaves borne on separate stalks.

Miterwort is another ephemeral that can be hard to spot. They tend to grow in clusters, and I find the best way to spot them is to look for a group of their upright stems flecked with the tiny white blooms. Anecdotally, nearly all of the Two-leaved Miterwort I’ve seen has grown near mossy rocks, often on a slope.

Small bees and flies are often pollinators of Mitella diphylla, which makes sense given the size of the flowers. Larger pollinators have trouble accessing the nectar because there’s no place for them to land.

see the small bee on the right-most stem?

I’m hoping to spend a little more time with this plant this season, including after the bloom is done. The plant forms these enchanting little cups filled with teensy black seeds. I’ve never seen the seeds, but luckily there’s some Miterwort at my work so I will revisit and photograph them as they develop. Stay tuned for an update.

Mitella diphylla is one of my favorite wildflowers to point out to people. The first time they see it, they’re astounded by the bizarre, intricate little flowers. And more importantly, they’re reminded of how very much there is around us worth paying attention to.

---

All illustrations and photos are my own.

Note: This is the thirteenth in a series of posts on spring ephemeral wildflowers.

Previous posts:

• Skunk Cabbage

• Hepatica

• Bloodroot

• Blue Cohosh

• Dutchman’s Breeches

• Yellow Trout Lily

• Carolina Spring Beauty

• Red Trillium

• White Trillium

• Early Meadow Rue

• Large-flower Bellwort

• Wild Ginger

Subscribe to get a wildflower in your inbox 1-2 times a week from now through the end of May. And send this post to a friend who could use a wildflower today!