spring beauty

this is claytonia virginica of the family portulacaceae:

this flower usually blooms in the spring months, but this was taken early january, another early blossom. c. virginica is classified on the PLANTS website as a forb/herb. for reasons that are not readily clear, this falls under the growth habitat classification:

Vascular plant without significant woody tissue above or at the ground. Forbs and herbs may be annual, biennial, or perennial but always lack significant thickening by secondary woody growth and have perennating buds borne at or below the ground surface.

while this seems to be only a description of the nature of the plant, rather than the environment where it is found. if anyone has an explanation for this, please let me know.