LILIACEAE

LILY FAMILY

Dale W. McNeal, except as specified

Perennial to trees, from membranous bulb, fibrous corm, scaly rhizome, or erect caudex
Stem generally underground
Leaves generally basal, often withering early, alternate, generally ± linear
Inflorescence various, generally bracted
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; perianth often showy, segments generally 6 in two petal-like whorls (outer sometimes sepal-like), free or fused at base; stamens 6 (or 3 + generally 3 ± petal-like staminodes), filaments sometimes attached to perianth or fused into a tube or crown; ovary superior or inferior, chambers 3, placentas generally axile, style generally 1, stigmas generally 3
Fruit: generally capsule, loculicidal or septicidal (berry or nut)
Genera in family: ± 300 genera, 4600 species: especially ± dry temp and subtropical; many cultivated for ornamental or food; some TOXIC. Here includes genera sometimes treated in Agavaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and other families.

DISPORUM

Perennial; rhizome slender, creeping
Stem erect, branched, scaly below, leafy above
Leaves alternate, sessile to clasping, ± oblique at base, strongly veined
Inflorescence ± umbel-like, terminal; flowers 1–several, drooping, ± hidden by leaves; perianth segments 6 in 2 petal-like whorls, free, white to greenish in CA; stamens 6, free; ovary superior, chambers 3, style slender, stigma entire or 3-lobed
Fruit: berry, ovoid to spheric, yellow to red
Seeds black
Species in genus: ± 15 species: temp North America, e Asia
Etymology: (Greek: double seed)

Native

D. hookeri (Torr.) G. Nicholson

Stem 30–80 cm, sparingly branched, hairy at least above
Leaf 3–15 cm, (ob)ovate, acute to acuminate, cordate, oblique at base, ciliate, glabrous to densely hairy, especially on veins below
Inflorescence: flowers 1–3
Flower narrowly bell-shaped; perianth parts 8–15 mm, narrowly elliptic, spreading from middle or lower, greenish; stamens = or > perianth, anthers glabrous or minutely sharp-bristly; ovary and style glabrous or ± hairy
Fruit 7–9 mm, spheric, red
Ecology: Shady woodlands
Elevation: < 1600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Sierra Nevada, Central Western California
Distribution outside California: to w Canada, Montana
Synonyms: var. parvifolium (S. Watson) Britton; var. trachyandrum (Torr.) Q. Jones
Recent taxonomic note: Prosartes hookeri Torr.
Horticultural information: SHD, DRN: 4, 5, 6 &IRR: 1, 2, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17.