Dodecatheon poeticum
Dodecatheon meadia
narcissus shooting star, poet's shooting star
pride-of-Ohio
not obvious at anthesis;
roots white;
bulblets usually present.
not obvious at anthesis;
roots whitish to tan or brownish;
bulblets absent.
(3–)5–16(–20) × 0.5–2.5(–3) cm;
petiole usually winged;
blade oblanceolate to spatulate, base usually decurrent onto stem, gradually tapering to petiole, margins usually entire, sometimes denticulate to slightly toothed, surfaces glandular-pubescent.
8–30 × 2–8 cm;
petiole winged;
blade (usually suffused with red at base even when dry), usually oblanceolate to oblong or spatulate, rarely ovate, base decurrent onto stem, gradually tapering to petiole, margins usually entire, rarely coarsely toothed, surfaces glabrous.
2–10(–17)-flowered;
bracts narrowly to broadly lanceolate, 2–10 mm, glandular-pubescent.
1–25(–125)-flowered;
bracts lanceolate, 3–10 mm, usually glabrous, rarely glandular-pubescent.
1–3.5 cm, glandular-pubescent.
(1.5–)3–7 cm, usually glabrous, rarely glandular-pubescent.
calyx greenish, often with pinkish purple to purple speckles, 5–9 mm, glabrous or slightly glandular at least along margins, tube 2–4(–5) mm, lobes 5, 3–5 mm;
corolla tube maroon and yellow with reddish, thin, wavy ring, lobes 5, magenta to lavender, (8–)10–15(–18) mm;
filaments connate, tube maroon, 1.5–3 × 2–3 mm;
anthers 4–7 mm;
pollen sacs maroon to black, connective deep purple to black, transversely rugose (sometimes seemingly smooth [when immature] or transversely wrinkled [when dried]);
stigma not enlarged compared to style.
calyx light green to green, 5–12 mm, glabrous, tube 2–3.8 mm, lobes 5, (2.5–)3–7(–9) mm;
corolla tube maroon and yellow with dark maroon, ± thick, wavy ring, lobes 5, white or lavender to magenta, (10–)12–25(–27) mm;
filaments usually connate, tube yellow, 0.5–3 × 1–2 mm;
anthers (4–)5.5–10 mm;
pollen sacs yellow, sometimes speckled with red or maroon, connective purple, dark maroon, or black, smooth;
stigmas not enlarged compared to style.
tan, often faintly reddish apically, valvate, short-ovoid, 6–9 × 4–7 mm, glandular-pubescent;
walls usually thick and firm.
dark reddish brown, valvate, cylindric-ovoid, 7–18(–21) × 4–6(–9) mm, glabrous;
walls thick, firm.
without membrane along edges.
without membrane along edges.
= 44, 88.
= 88.
Dodecatheon poeticum
Dodecatheon meadia
Dodecatheon poeticum grows mainly in the Columbia River gorge and on the eastern edge of the Cascade Range in Washington, and in Oregon. Nearby one can find D. conjugens var. conjugens and D. pulchellum var. cusickii, features of which (the rugose connective of the former, the glandular condition of the latter) are combined in D. poeticum. The distinct filaments of var. conjugens readily distinguish that taxon from D. poeticum; distinction between D. poeticum and D. pulchellum var. cusickii is difficult. The former has maroon pollen sacs; var. cusickii has yellow ones. Plants with all of the features of D. poeticum rarely have the smooth connective typical of D. pulchellum. H. J. Thompson (1953) suggested that D. poeticum (a tetraploid) might be the product of an allopolyploid involving var. cusickii and D. hendersonii (both diploids).
The leaves of Dodecatheon poeticum are occasionally slightly toothed and relatively broad (e.g., K. L. Chambers 2080, OSC) and resemble the leaves of D. dentatum, a species that flowers in the Gorge typically after D. poeticum. Rootstocks with bulblets are rarely seen on herbarium specimens.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Dodecatheon meadia is widespread and highly variable. Many segregate species and infraspecific entities have been proposed. Except for recognizing D. frenchii (a diploid), partitioning D. meadia (a tetraploid) into finer units as done by N. C. Fassett (1944) is unrealistic. It has been traditional to distinguish at least two varieties. The typical variety is mainly a plant of the north and east with anthers 6.5–10 mm, capsules 10–18(–21) mm, calyx lobes 4–8 mm, and corolla lobes 12–20 mm. To the south and west (mainly Missouri, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Texas, and Arkansas to northwest Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia) plants with anthers 4–7(–8) mm, capsules 7–10 mm, calyx lobes 3–5 mm, and corolla lobes 10–15 mm occur; these have been termed var. brachycarpum. A distinction is not made here because both entities are sometimes found growing together, and each can be found, often as individual plants, well outside its expected range. Flower color varies in a different pattern. Most of the southern populations of D. media have white petals; those of the north (including the Linnaean type) have lavender to magenta petals. Throughout the range, petals are sometimes more pinkish or are white with a tinge of purple. In southern Missouri and northern Arkansas are plants with alabaster white petals. All too often, a single population will vary in petal color, making a taxonomic distinction dubious. Plants with ovoid capsules 9–10 × 4–9 mm occur in Alabama; these were named var. obesum Fassett. Although the ovoid condition appears to be restricted geographically, it is doubtful that it diagnoses a well-marked variety.
Dodecatheon meadia is locally common in some areas; on its geographical edges, it is often rare and thus of local concern to some state heritage programs. The species is commonly cultivated and numerous cultivars have been developed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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