This trillium is variously called "Ill-smelling Trillium," "Purple Trillium," "Red Trillium," "Squaroot," and "Stinking-Benjamin." Since its flower may vary from white through various shades of pink to deep red, refering it by it's color can be confusing (the same goes for the Drooping Trillium). The distinguishing characteristics are: dark ovaries, and the stamen filaments more than half the the lenght of the anthers.