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Camassia quamash

common camas

Photo is of parent taxon
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. walpolei

Flowering time April-June
Habitat Open, moist areas, often where dry by late spring, from lowlands 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]
[BONAP county map]
Origin Native
Conservation status Not of concern
Sibling taxa
C. cusickii, C. leichtlinii
C. quamash ssp. azurea, C. quamash ssp. breviflora, C. quamash ssp. maxima, C. quamash ssp. quamash
Subordinate taxa
C. quamash ssp. azurea, C. quamash ssp. breviflora, C. quamash ssp. maxima, C. quamash ssp. quamash
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