| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
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.
Perennial from spheric, fibrous-coated corm
Leaves basal, linear, channeled
Inflorescence umbel-like, scapose, straight; bracts papery; pedicels unjointed, erect
Flower: perianth segments 6 in 2 petal-like whorls, tube funnel-shaped, lobes narrowly oblong; stamens 6, filaments fused into a crown-like tube with toothed lobes between anthers, anthers attached near middle; ovary superior, sessile, chambers 3, style persistent
Fruit: capsule, subspheric, obtusely 3-angled, loculicidal
Seeds several per chamber, flat, black
Species in genus: 3 species: sw US
Etymology: (Greek: stamen crown, from fused filaments)
| Native |
Leaf 10–30 cm, 2 mm wide, scabrous
Inflorescence 10–30 cm, scabrous near base; bracts lanceolate; pedicels 15–30 mm; flowers 3–12
Flower: perianth white to light violet drying yellow-brown, tube 5–7 mm, lobes 10–14 mm; filaments 8–10 mm, tube ± funnel-shaped, appendages ± 2 mm, anthers ± 3 mm
Fruit 10–15 mm, deeply 3-lobed
Ecology: Open desert scrub
Elevation: 700–1600 m.
Bioregional distribution: e Desert
Distribution outside California: to w Colorado
Documentation of occurrence in CA needed.