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thread-leaf brodiaea

dwarf brodiaea, dwarf cluster-lily

Scape

20–30 cm, slender.

0.5–20 cm, slender.

Flowers

14–20 mm;

perianth violet-reddish purple, tube narrowly cylindrical, 6–8 mm, transparent, splitting in fruit, lobes widely spreading, 10–14 mm;

filaments 0.5–1 mm, base not triangular, with narrow abaxial wings;

anthers linear, 3–5 mm, apex widely notched;

staminodia inconspicuous, reflexed against perianth, purple, threadlike, 2–4 mm, apex subulate;

ovary 4–5 mm;

style 6–7 mm;

pedicel 1–4 cm.

16–33 mm;

perianth pinkish purple or rose, tube narrowly campanulate, 6–13 mm, opaque, not splitting in fruit, lobes ascending, recurved distally, 10–20 mm;

filaments 2–3 mm, base dilated to form triangular flap;

anthers linear, 3–6 mm, apex separated;

staminodia leaning inward slightly but held away from stamens, violet to whitish, broad, 4–5 mm, margins 1/4 involute, apex broad, slightly hooded, 2-notched;

ovary 7–9 mm;

style 4–9 mm;

pedicel 1–15 cm.

2n

= 24.

Brodiaea filifolia

Brodiaea terrestris

Phenology Flowering spring (Apr–May).
Habitat Grasslands, vernal pools
Elevation 0–300 m (0–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; s Oreg
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Brodiaea filifolia is endangered. It grows on clay soils at the edges of vernal pools and flood plains in southern California. It has been extirpated from Los Angeles and San Bernadino counties and is seriously threatened by development, vehicles, and agriculture in Riverside and San Diego counties. It is in cultivation.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Scape 0.5–7 cm; flowers 16–25 mm; pedicel 3–15 cm; leaves lunate in cross section.
subsp. terrestris
1. Scape 2–20 cm; flowers 26–33 mm; pedicel 1–7 cm; leaves not very lunate in cross section.
subsp. kernensis
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 325. FNA vol. 26, p. 327.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Brodiaea Liliaceae > Brodiaea
Sibling taxa
B. appendiculata, B. californica, B. coronaria, B. elegans, B. insignis, B. jolonensis, B. kinkiensis, B. minor, B. orcuttii, B. pallida, B. purdyi, B. stellaris, B. terrestris
B. appendiculata, B. californica, B. coronaria, B. elegans, B. filifolia, B. insignis, B. jolonensis, B. kinkiensis, B. minor, B. orcuttii, B. pallida, B. purdyi, B. stellaris
Subordinate taxa
B. terrestris subsp. kernensis, B. terrestris subsp. terrestris
Synonyms Hookera filifolia Hookera terrestris
Name authority S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 17: 381. (1882) Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2: 6. (1859)
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