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Camassia quamash

common camas

common camas

Habit Scapose perennial from a deep-seated bulb, the scape 2-7 dm. tall.
Leaves

Leaves several, all basal, 8-20 mm. broad, considerably shorter than the scape.

Flowers

Inflorescence a raceme, many-flowered, 5-30 cm. long;

pedicels 10-20 mm. long, spreading, arched or ascending in flower, incurved-erect in fruit;

flowers pale to deep blue or violet, somewhat irregular;

tepals 6, distinct, 15-35 mm. long and 2-8 mm. broad, narrowed at base, lowest segment curved outward and downward away from the others, all withering separately and exposing the ovary;

stamens 6, anthers yellow or blue, style slender, stigmas 3.

Fruit

Capsule ovoid, 3-celled, 1-2.5 cm. long.

Camassia quamash

Camassia quamash ssp. quamash

Flowering time April-June April-June
Habitat Open, moist areas, often where dry by late spring, from lowlands to mid-elevations in the mountains. Open, moist areas, often where dry by late spring, at low to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Distribution
Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana and Utah.
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to eastern Oregon, east to Montana
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native Native
Conservation status Not of concern Not of concern
Sibling taxa
C. cusickii, C. leichtlinii
C. quamash ssp. azurea, C. quamash ssp. breviflora, C. quamash ssp. maxima
Subordinate taxa
C. quamash ssp. azurea, C. quamash ssp. breviflora, C. quamash ssp. maxima, C. quamash ssp. quamash
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