yam-leaved virgin's-bower
Yam-leaved virgin's-bower is native to northeastern Asia and was introduced to North America in the late 1800's as an ornamental garden plant. It produces abundant masses of fragrant white blooms in early fall that sustain flower-visiting insects when most other plants are done with flowering. It grows best in full sun and has established itself in a brushy area near the dawn redwood at Salter Grove. It also grows on Rock Island but does not do as well there because of the greater exposure to strong winds.
The fruits produced look quite other-worldly and certainly are not reminiscent of other fruits in the buttercup family, to which the yam-leaved virgin's-bower belong. There is a single large seed with a whip-like tail that unfurls into a feather duster as the fruit matures. Surprisingly, dispersal is by wind despite the substantial size of the seed.