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meadow death camas, poison camas

giant zigadenus

Habit Plants 20–70 cm tall. Plants 30–100 cm tall.
Bulbs

not clumped, tunicate, widely ovate, 10–30 × 8–20 mm; outer layer brown.

clumped; ovoid, 2–6 × 2–5 cm; outer layer dark brown.

Stems

glabrous.

glabrous.

Leaves

12–50 cm × 2–10 mm.

20–60 cm × 5–30 mm.

Inflorescences

generally racemes, occasionally panicles, 10–50-flowered, 2–20 × 2–5 cm;

branches less than 33% length of entire inflorescence; at 10–60° from main axis when fruiting;

bracts 5–25 mm long, white to green;

pedicels 3–25 mm.

panicles; open, 10–80-flowered, 15–40 cm;

bracts 3–25 mm long, green to white-membranous;

pedicels 10–40 mm.

Flowers

bisexual, campanulate 5–10 mm in diameter;

tepals ovate to obtuse, 2–6 × 1–3 mm; outer and inner tepals clawed, persistent in fruit;

gland greenish yellow.

mostly bisexual; those on lower branches staminate or with stunted ovary, 10-20 mm in diameter;

tepals ovate to elliptic or obtuse, 5–12 × 2–5 mm; outer set not clawed, often persistently reflexed when fruiting; inner set clawed, 1–2 mm;

gland yellow to greenish yellow.

Fruits

cylindrical 8–14 × 4–5 mm.

oblong; (9)10–20(25) × 4–9 mm.

2n

=22.

=22.

Toxicoscordion venenosum

Toxicoscordion exaltatum

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Moist meadows to dry rocky hillsides. Flowering Apr–Jul. 0–2600m. All ecoregions except Est. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to British Columbia, east to UT. Native.

Meadows, wooded slopes. Flowering Jun. 900–1400m. Sisk. CA, NV. Native.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 314
Tamra Prior
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 313
Tamra Prior
Sibling taxa
T. exaltatum, T. fremontii, T. micranthum, T. paniculatum, T. venenosum
T. exaltatum, T. fremontii, T. micranthum, T. paniculatum, T. venenosum
Synonyms Toxicoscordion venenosum var. gramineum, Zigadenus venenosus, Toxicoscordion venenosum var. venenosum, Zigadenus venenosus var. gramineus, Zigadenus venenosus var. venenosus, Zygadenus venenosus, Zygadenus venenosus var. venenosus Zigadenus exaltatus
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