Chickweed Wintergreen, Arctic Starflower (Trientalis europaea), fam. Primulaceae.
It is possible to visit our forest for many years but to have no idea that Chickweed Wintergreen grows there. But it is actually not so rare. It is simply found mostly in far, shady and rather wet areas. It is the easiest to see Chickweed Wintergreen in late May, when it blooms. Without flowers, the leaves pattern of this tiny plant reminds Touch-me-not Balsam, which also grows in the same places, but tens or hundreds times more often. On the other hand, blooming Chickweed Wintergreen looks alike wild Strawberries or White Cinquefoil. But a slightly more careful look allows to understand what exactly it is. A tender Chickweed Wintergreen flower usually has 7 petals and 7 stamens. Each plant has just one flower, or rarely two. The number of leaves on a plant is also usually seven, which is also amazing, because in most other plants this number is subject to large variations depending on life conditions. Studying the photos, it is possible to note some 8-petal flowers or 6-leaf plants, but their average and most common number is still 7. Strangely, the latin name (Trientalis) is derived from the number 3 (maybe due to the height of the plant comparable to one third of the numan leg length, or maybe for the peduncle length being one third of the whole plant height). The Russian name is derived from number 7 (most logical), and the Ukrainian – from number 1 (single flower on the plant?).
Among the plants living in Kyiv, the closest relatives of Chickweed Wintergreen are the Loosestrifes – Spotted, Creeping Jenny, and Yellow (but not the Purple Loosestrife which name is similar due to a misnomer). The Chickweeds (from Caryophyllaceae family) and Wintergreens (from Ericaceae family) have no relation to Trientalis. So, please use common names with caution.
There is information on wound-healing and tonic properties of Chickweed Wintergreen. But clearly, it is not easy to collect it in proper quantities. Better try to substitute it with the Loosestrifes.