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 subspheric, dark-brown-fibrous-coated corm with daughter corms
Leaves basal, generally 35, linear (generally crescent-shaped in X -section), entire, glabrous
Inflorescence umbel-like, scapose, open (pedicels > flowers); axis slender, straight, cylindric; bracts scarious
Flower erect; perianth outer surface shiny, tube narrowly bell- to funnel-shaped, lobes 6 in 2 petal-like whorls, inner wider; staminodes (0)3, generally much unlike stamens, often ± inrolled as seen from above; stamens 3, epipetalous, opposite inner perianth, ± = style, anthers attached at base; style 1, stigma with 3 decurrent wings
Fruit: capsule, sessile, ovoid, loculidical
Seeds black, lined
Species in genus: 13 species: coastal w US, especially n CA
Etymology: (Brodie, Scottish plantsman)
Reference: [Niehaus 1971 Univ Calif Publ Bot 60:166]
Native |
Inflorescence: axis 425 cm; pedicels 15 cm
Flower: perianth blue-violet, blue-purple, pink-purple, or rose, tube bell-shaped (opaque, not splitting in fruit), 613 cm, lobes ascending, 1225 mm, tips recurved; staminodes held close to stamens, 1011 mm, white or pink, margins inrolled 3/4; filaments 34 mm, free part ± triangular, anthers 57 mm; ovary 69 mm, style 611 mm
Chromosomes: n=6,12
Ecology: Grassland, volcanic mesas
Elevation: 01600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, n&c Sierra Nevada
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia