This plant grows in woodlands or open areas in eastern and central North America. When you can identify it, please leave its common and scientific names in a comment. Also, share any personal connection you may have with this plant.
Leaves
Flower buds
Plant in bloom
Flower
Dying flowers and seed capsules developing
Dried seed capsules
ANSWER (subsequently added to this post to facilitate the “search” function for these images): Eastern shooting star (Primula meadia)
Dodecatheon meadia
Shooting Star
I would call this plant a common shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Mystery plant 083 is Dodecatheon hendersonii
I agree, definitely eastern shooting star, Dodecatheon meadia (now Primula meadia). This species is Threatened in North Carolina.
Yes, this is Eastern shooting star (Primula meadia) in the Primulaceae family.
Until Evan Raskin pointed this out, I was unaware the scientific name had changed. Quite a few reliable internet websites still use the previous scientific name of Dodecatheon meadia.