Disporum, commonly called Fairy Bell, is a rhizomatous genus once considered to be in the Liliaceae family. Dahlgren moved it to Uvulariaceae and the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II which did not recognize that family has placed it in an expanded Colchicaceae family. It is sometimes included by others in Convallariaceae. The habits are reminiscent of the related Solomon’s seal, Polygonatum, except the flowers are terminal instead of axillary. The North American species once considered to be in this genus are now split out into the genus Prosartes.
Disporum flavens (syn. Disporum sessile subsp flavens) is native to Korea and China and bears bright yellow terminal flowers on leafy stems shortly after emerging from dormancy in the spring. Photo taken April 2007 by Jay Yourch. The Kew checklist says the accepted name for this species is Disporum uniflorum but it is still listed as D. flavens in other data bases.
Disporum smithii see Prosartes smithii
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