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meadow death camas, poison camas

small-flowered zigadenus

Habit Plants 20–70 cm tall. Plants 10–70 cm tall.
Bulbs

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

not clumped; ovoid, 10–25(35) × 8–30 mm; outer layer dark brown to black.

Stems

glabrous.

scabrous on lower part.

Leaves

12–50 cm × 2–10 mm.

10–45 cm × 2–10 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.

narrow panicles, occasionally racemes, 10–60-flowered, 3–40 × 3–7 cm;

proximal branches less than 50% the length of inflorescence, spreading at 60–90° from main axis in fruit;

bracts 5–40 mm long, green to membranous white;

pedicels 12–40 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.

bisexual, 5–12 mm in diameter;

tepals ovate to elliptic, 3–8 × 1–5 mm; outer and inner tepals clawed, persistent in fruit;

gland yellow.

Fruits

cylindrical 8–14 × 4–5 mm.

cylindrical, 6–18 × 2–7 mm.

2n

=22.

=22.

Toxicoscordion venenosum

Toxicoscordion micranthum

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.

Dry slopes, flats. Flowering Mar–Jun. 50–1600m. CR, Sisk. CA. 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 micranthus, Zigadenus micranthus var. micranthus
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