Photo by Jim Jung . All rights reserved.

Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars inhabit upland or ravine sites. To the best of my knowledge this species has no medicinal, culinary, or other uses - in short, it's just a pretty wildflower. But while it's in bloom it's an amazingly striking flower. The bright red center with the swept back petals on the long nodding stem make this wildflower unique in our flora.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this genus is the fact that in our area two species are present - the standard Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia) a fairly common inhabitant of upland meadows and glades, and French's Shooting Star (Dodecatheon frenchii) our area's only endemic plant species, which is found only under wet sandstone overhangs.

Photo by Jim Jung. All rights reserved.

This second species was first discovered by George French in what is now Giant City State Park in Illinois in 1871. It was elevated to specific status in the 1950's after studies using transplanted individuals confirmed that its habitat requirements were completely different from the more common meadia. More recently chromosome counts have confirmed that French's Shooting Star is indeed a fully separate species.

Fortunately for us amateurs who can't easily count chromosome numbers the two species are easily differentiated by the habitat they're found in. Which is a good thing since the two species are otherwise almost identical in appearance. So tread lightly whenever you're exploring sandstone shelters in the Shawnee and refrain from disturbing - or stepping on - any bright green leaf rosettes you encounter there.

For the record, a third species occurs in Nothern Illinois, Dodecatheon amethystinum, or the Jeweled Shooting Star. It also has a limited habitat, clinging to cliffs and bluffs.

Offsite links:

• USDA-NRCS PLANTS profile of Dodecatheon meadii
• INHS Species Spotlight: Shooting Stars

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