There aren’t many of them, but a few Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica) and Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata) started blooming at Pearl Creek Farm, probably just today. We went out for a hike looking this morning and found nothing.

Both of these species are common Missouri spring wildflowers. They can both be found throughout most of the state, normally in rich woods, creek bottoms, and (in the case of spring beauties) in yards, meadows, prairies, and other open places.

Toothwort has four white petals and nearly-compound leaves with ragged edges (the “teeth”). Spring beauties have five white petals that are normally streaked with pink lines (barely visible in the woeful photograph above). Normally, they have a single set of long, strap-like paired leaves at the time of flowering.