FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Paris quadrifolia, Herb Paris, Ferlaufungur

Paris quadrifolia; herb-paris can be found in sheltered places, for example in lava fissures. Characteristically a number of shoots rise from an underground rhizome where each shoot has only one flower. Each plant therefore bears only one berry-fruit.
It is an unusual member of the Lily family (Liliaceae), though some botanists have included the genus Paris in a special family: Trilliacae (Birth Root family). More recent though, botanists have made it a member of the Melanthiaceae (Bunchflower family) which now includes the Trillia's as well and is considered to be very closely related to the lily family. The Icelandic name of this species is Ferlaufungur.