The flowers are solitary, held above the foliage on short stems, with a whorl of three palmate or palmately-lobed leaflike bracts beneath.

[4] Wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella, which grows in similar shaded places, can be readily distinguished by its 3-parted, clover-like leaves and smaller flowers with only white petals and 5 sepals.

[5][6] The native range of Anemonoides nemorosa extends across Europe to western Asia, reaching as far south as the Caucasus Mountains in Turkey.

[6] The species is common in the British Isles[5] but it spreads very slowly there, by as little as six feet per century, so it is often used as an indicator for ancient woodland.

Some of the most widely available are: Those marked agm are recipients of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.