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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.

CALOCHORTUS

Peggy Fiedler and Bryan Ness

Bulb coat generally membranous
Leaves generally linear to lanceolate; basal leaf 1; cauline leaves 0–several, smaller upwards
Inflorescence often ± umbel-like; flowers 2–many
Flower spheric and closed to nearly rotate; sepals generally < petals, generally ± lanceolate (ovate), generally nearly glabrous; petals generally widely wedge-shaped, generally hairy inside, nectary near base; filaments ± flat, anthers generally attached at base; style 1, stigmas 3
Fruit: capsule, septicidal, generally ± oblong, generally 3-angled or -winged; chambers 3
Seeds many in 2 rows per chamber, generally flat, generally netted, generally ± yellow
Species in genus: ± 65 species: w North America, C.Am; many cultivated. Bulbs of some eaten by native Americans. Nectary shape and hairs important to identification
Etymology: (Greek: beautiful grass)
Reference: [Ness 1989 Syst Bot 14:495–505]
Sect. Calochortus by Bryan Ness.

Native

C. macrocarpus Douglas


Stem 20–50 cm, stout, generally simple; base generally bulblet-bearing
Leaves: basal 5–10 cm, withering; cauline inrolled, tips curled
Inflorescence ± umbel-like; flowers 1–6, erect; bracts 3–5 cm
Flower: perianth bell-shaped; sepals 40–50 mm, generally > petals; petals 35–60 mm, narrowly obovate, purple, green-striped outside, generally purple-banded and bearded above nectary, nectary slightly depressed, ± triangular-sagittate, densely slender-hairy
Fruit erect, 4–5 cm, ± lanceolate, angled
Chromosomes: n=7
Ecology: Common. Sagebrush scrub, yellow-pine forest, generally in volcanic soil
Elevation: 1300–2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: n Cascade Range, Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia
Flowering time: Jun–Aug
Horticultural information: DFCLT.

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