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.

MUILLA

Glenn Keator

Perennial from small, fibrous-coated corm
Leaves few–several, basal, narrow, generally ± cylindric
Inflorescence umbel-like; axis stiff, straight, cylindric; bracts generally 3, papery, acuminate; pedicels slender, unjointed, erect
Flower: perianth segments 6 in 2 petal-like whorls, barely fused at base, lobes generally equal, lanceolate or oblong, widely spreading, midribs 2-veined; stamens 6, filaments thread-like to winged, anthers attached at middle; style short, club-shaped, persistent, stigma 3-lobed
Fruit: capsule, subspheric, 3-angled, loculicidal
Seeds irregularly angled, black
Species in genus: ± 6 species: sw US, n Mex
Etymology: (Anagram of Allium, from superficial resemblance)
Reference: [Shevock 1984 Aliso 10:621–627]

Native

M. maritima (Torr.) S. Watson

COMMON MUILLA

Leaf 10–60 cm
Inflorescence 10–50 cm; pedicels 10–50 mm; flowers 4–20
Flower: perianth lobes 3–6 mm (inner slightly wider), greenish white, striped brown; stamens 2–5 mm, filaments thread-like or slightly wider at base, anthers blue, green, or purple
Fruit 5–8 mm
Chromosomes: n=7,8, 10
Ecology: Grassland, open scrub, woodland, in alkaline, granitic, or serpentine soils
Elevation: 0–2300 m.
Bioregional distribution: c&s Northwestern California, Central Western California, Southwestern California, uncommon in c Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, w Desert
Distribution outside California: Baja California
Flowering time: Mar–Jun
Horticultural information: DRN, DRY, SUN: 3, 7, 14; may be DFCLT.