OregonFlora: Erythronium montanum

	Erythronium montanum
	avalanche-lily
Leaves	10–20 cm; blades ovate to broadlanceolate, not mottled; margins wavy.
Inflorescences	1–3-flowered.
Flowers	tepals 25–45 mm, white to cream-colored, yellow at base; inner tepals with auricles at base; stamens 10–25 mm; filaments, linear; less than 0.8 mm wide, white; anthers yellow; style 12–25 mm, white; stigma with recurved lobes 1–5 mm long.
Fruits	capsules 3–6 cm.
2n	=24.

	Erythronium montanum
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Forest openings and meadows at montane and subalpine elevations. Flowering Jun–Aug. 800–1800m. Casc. WA; north to British Columbia. Native. Similar to its presumed close relative E. elegans, this species is best identified by its linear, very narrow (less than 0.8 mm) filaments. Its flowers also tend to be more outward-facing than E. elegans and our other species, which are usually nodding. Like E. grandiflorum, this lily is also found emerging from melting snow in montane and subalpine meadows.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 299 Stephen Meyers
Sibling taxa	E. citrinum, E. elegans, E. grandiflorum, E. hendersonii, E. hendersonii x Erythronium oregonum, E. klamathense, E. multiscapideum, E. oregonum, E. revolutum
Web links	Local floras: BC, OR, WA Local Web sites: Flora NW, PNW Herbaria, Turner Photog. WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Erythronium montanum

avalanche-lily

Leaves

10–20 cm;

blades ovate to broadlanceolate, not mottled;

margins wavy.

Inflorescences

1–3-flowered.

Flowers

tepals 25–45 mm, white to cream-colored, yellow at base;

inner tepals with auricles at base;

stamens 10–25 mm; filaments, linear; less than 0.8 mm wide, white;

anthers yellow;

style 12–25 mm, white;

stigma with recurved lobes 1–5 mm long.

Fruits

capsules 3–6 cm.

=24.

Erythronium montanum

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Forest openings and meadows at montane and subalpine elevations. Flowering Jun–Aug. 800–1800m. Casc. WA; north to British Columbia. Native.

Similar to its presumed close relative E. elegans, this species is best identified by its linear, very narrow (less than 0.8 mm) filaments. Its flowers also tend to be more outward-facing than E. elegans and our other species, which are usually nodding. Like E. grandiflorum, this lily is also found emerging from melting snow in montane and subalpine meadows.

Source

Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 299
Stephen Meyers

Sibling taxa