Key to Lilium

View taxon page for Lilium

(For a list of species in Lilium, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Flower nodding (between pendent and spreading) to 

erect 

Upright; vertically oriented.

; perianth parts 

recurved 

Gradually curved downward or backward.

but not 

reflexed 

Abruptly bent or curved downward or backward.

(except Lilium maritimum)

2. Perianth ± white, often aging pink, lavender, or purple; flowers nodding to erect

3. Perianth parts 4.2–6.6 cm; flower 

ascending 

Curving or angling upward from base, or about 30-60 degrees less than vertical or away from axis of attachment.

to erect; NW, SnFrB ..... L. rubescens

3' Perianth parts generally 6.2–11.3 cm; flower nodding to ascending; KR, CaR, SN ..... L. washingtonianum

4. Perianth aging deep pink or lavender; perianth generally 6.2–9.5 cm; KR ..... subsp. purpurascens

4' Perianth aging ± white (light pink); perianth 7.9–11.3 cm; KR, CaR, SN ..... subsp. washingtonianum

2' Perianth yellow to red or pink; flowers nodding to ascending

5. Perianth bright yellow, parts 7.7–10.7 cm; TR, PR ..... L. parryi

5' Perianth ± red, orange, or pink (pale yellow), parts <= 5 cm; s NCo, KR, n&c SNH, n CCo

6. Leaf 1.8–7 cm, generally glaucous, margins generally wavy; dry places; KR ..... L. bolanderi

6' Leaf 3–18 cm, not obviously glaucous, margins generally not wavy; ± wet or seasonally inundated places; s NCo, n&c SNH, n CCo

7. Perianth red or red-orange abaxially, adaxially (except base green), tips reflexed or rolled; flower nodding (spreading); fruit 2.4–4.1 cm; s NCo, n CCo ..... L. maritimum

7' Perianth light orange to red (± pink) on distal 40%, lighter near base, sometimes uniformly light orange (yellow), abaxially paler, tips ± recurved; flower nodding to ascending; fruit 1.5–2.7 cm; n&c SNH ..... L. parvum

1' Flower pendent (sometimes some nodding); perianth parts reflexed

8. Perianth pink to white, generally aging pink, midribs yellow – KR, n NCoRO ..... L. kelloggii

8' Perianth yellow to red

9. Plant of ± dry places; perianth yellow or orange; bulb erect to ascending

10. Pistil 2.4–3.7 cm; perianth parts 3.4–7.1 cm; anthers 5–13 mm; nw NW ..... L. columbianum

10' Pistil 4.5–7.1 cm; perianth parts generally 5.6–9.5 cm; anthers 11–19 mm; s CaRH, n SNH, s CW, SW ..... L. humboldtii

11. Perianth orange, red spots unmargined; s CaRH, SNH ..... subsp. humboldtii

11' Perianth yellow or light orange, red spots near tip margined with lighter red; s CW, SW ..... subsp. ocellatum

9' Plant of ± moist places; perianth yellow to ± red; bulb 

spreading 

Oriented more or less perpendicularly to the axis of attachment; often, more or less horizontal.

12. Perianth ± uniformly yellow, orange, or yellow-orange (green at base)

13. Flower ± fragrant; anthers 3–6 mm, magenta or dull red; pistil 2.5–3.5 cm; fruit 1.5–3 cm; not clonal; c&s SNH ..... L. kelleyanum

13' Flower not fragrant; anthers 5–13 mm, pale yellow; pistil 3–4.3 cm; fruit 2.3–4.2 cm; ± clonal; e KR ..... L. pardalinum subsp. wigginsii

12' Perianth ± 2-toned, with green, yellow, or orange centers, darker orange or red tips

14. Perianth red to maroon (orange), center green to yellow, abaxially green on 

basal 

At or near the base of a plant or plant part. Especially said of leaves clustered near the ground or of a placenta confined to the base of an ovary.

40–50%, parts 4.3–8.1 cm; filaments ± parallel; 

rhizome 

1. In seed plants, stem that is often elongate, more or less horizontal, usually underground; distinguished from roots by bearing of leaves, leaf scars, axillary buds, etc. 2. In ferns, stem that is located underground, embedded in leaf litter, on rocks or in rock crevices, or on trees or tree branches, often scaly or hairy; distinguished from roots by bearing of fronds (roots rarely bear fronds), and their greater diameter.

unbranched; n NCo ..... L. occidentale

14' Perianth yellow to orange, tips redder, abaxially green only on basal ± 20%, parts 3.4–10.4 cm; filaments not parallel; rhizome often branched; CA-FP ..... L. pardalinum (most)

15. Perianth parts 5.9–10.4 cm; generally in large clones; anthers 11–22 mm, leaves generally ± 

elliptic 

In the shape of a flattened circle or ellipse; wider than linear

; CA-FP ..... subsp. pardalinum

15' Perianth parts 3.4–8.3 cm; generally in small clones; anthers 5–18 mm, leaves generally ± elliptic to ± 

linear 

Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.

; KR, s NCoRO, CaR, n SNH

16. Leaf ± linear, length 7–34 × width; w KR ..... subsp. vollmeri

16' Leaf ± elliptic, length 3–17 × width; e KR and elsewhere

17. Pollen red- or brown-orange; anthers magenta; s NCoRO ..... subsp. pitkinense

17' Pollen generally yellow to bright orange (red-orange); anthers orange to magenta; KR, CaR, n SNH ..... subsp. shastense

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