Ground Dogwood (Cornus canadensis)
Pen & Ink on Bristol Board, Image size 4.25"x 5"

Ground Dogwood, also called bunchberry, is the smallest of the dogwoods, and is found in abundance from Southeast to Interior Alaska. It has the same leaves and flowers as its larger cousins, but doesn't grow over eight inches tall. Ground dogwood is a shade-loving plant and commonly grows on the forest floor at the edge of clearings, often blanketing the ground with its striking green and white leaves. (The white "petals" are actually bracts–specialized leaves. The tiny flowers are bunched up at the center of the leaf cluster.)