January 22 to October 14 — Spring ephemerals of the forest understory are among the most interesting of our wildflowers. The photography of Jackie Bailey Labovitz celebrates the short-lived flowers of perennial native plants that bloom beneath the forest canopy. During a brief window of opportunity, they arise from the ground after it thaws and bloom, taking advantage of the sunlight beaming through the leafless trees. As soon as the trees leaf out, the above-ground parts of the ephemerals begin to wither, and by summer, most have vanished. They make up an important part our forests' understory that only few see and appreciate. See these photographs on display in the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory from January 22 through October 14.

Visit http://www.usbg.gov/ [1] to learn more about exhibits at the U.S. Botanic Garden.