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fork-tooth ookow, northern saitas, ookow

Snake-lily, twining brodiaea, twining snakelily

Leaves

3–4, 4–35 cm;

blade strongly keeled, ± glaucous.

3–4, 30–70 cm;

blade strongly keeled.

Scape

self-supporting, with occasional bends, 30–80(–90) cm, ± scabrous.

weak, not self-supporting except distal 10 cm erect, otherwise twining, 40–150 cm, scabrous.

Inflorescences

racemose, very dense, 6–15-flowered;

bracts pale purple to green, widely lanceolate, 6–12 mm.

umbellate, dense, 6–20-flowered;

bracts pinkish, widely ovate, 12–15 mm, apex acute.

Flowers

horizontal or erect;

perianth bluish purple, tube unangled, narrowly ovoid, slightly constricted above ovary, 8–10 mm, lobes ascending, 8–10 mm;

perianth appendages 1 per stamen, each coalescent to an inner and outer tepal, leaning away from inner anthers to form corona, erect, purplish, narrowly lanceolate, 5–6 mm, apex deeply 2-fid into 2 wings;

stamens 3, equal;

anthers 4–5 mm;

ovary sessile, 4–6 mm;

style 5–6 mm;

pedicel 1–6 mm.

horizontal or erect;

perianth pink or rarely white, tube globose or urceolate, constricted above ovary, 5–7 mm, with 6 sac-like angles, lobes widely spreading, ascending in fruit, 5–7 mm;

perianth appendages 2 per stamen, folded inward toward anthers, hiding them and forming corona, white, narrowly lanceolate, 3–4 mm, apex 2-fid into 2 wings;

stamens 3, equal;

anthers 3–4 mm;

staminodia 3, opposite outer tepals, creamy whitish, linear-oblong, 2.5–3 mm, margins ciliate-dentate, involute, apex usually shallowly notched;

ovary sessile or short-stipitate, subglobose, 4–5 mm;

style 3–4 mm;

pedicel 10–40 mm.

2n

= 18, 36.

= 18, 36.

Dichelostemma congestum

Dichelostemma volubile

Phenology Flowering spring (late Mar–May). Flowering spring (Apr–early Jun).
Habitat Open woodlands, grasslands near coast Foothill woodlands, chaparral, scrub
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 100–1600 m (300–5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dichelostemma congestum can be recognized by its congested racemose inflorescence and deeply bifid perianth appendages that stand away from the anthers to form a corona.

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

Dichelostemma volubile is distinguishable by its very long, weak, twining scape; small pink flowers; strongly urceolate perianth tube with well-developed saccate angles; and possession of both perianth appendages and true staminodia (sterile stamens) opposite the outer limb segments, as found in most species of Brodiaea. It is confined to a narrow belt in the foothill areas adjacent to the Central Valley, and is known to hybridize with D. multiflorum in Tuolumne County.

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

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 330. FNA vol. 26, p. 331.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Dichelostemma Liliaceae > Dichelostemma
Sibling taxa
D. capitatum, D. ida-maia, D. multiflorum, D. volubile
D. capitatum, D. congestum, D. ida-maia, D. multiflorum
Synonyms Brodiaea congesta, Hookera congesta Macroscapa volubilis, Brodiaea californica, Brodiaea volubilis, D. californicum, Hookera volubilis, Rupalleya volubilis, Stropholirion californicum
Name authority (Smith) Kunth: Enum. Pl. 4: 470. (1843) (Kellogg) A. Heller: Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2: 65. (1903)
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