Fritillaria atropurpurea |
Fritillaria liliacea |
|
---|---|---|
purple fritillary, spotted fritillary, spotted missionbells, spotted mountain bells |
fragrant fritillary |
|
Bulb scales | large 2–5; small 45–50. |
large 2–7; small 1–2. |
Stem | 1–6 dm. |
1–3.5 dm. |
Leaves | in whorls of 2–3 leaves per node proximally, 4–12 cm, usually shorter than inflorescence; blade linear to lanceolate; distal leaves usually slightly less than or equaling proximalmost leaf. |
2–20, alternate, 3.5–12 cm; blade linear to ovate. |
Flowers | nodding; perianth widely open; tepals purplish brown, clearly mottled yellow or white, oblong to ± diamond-shaped, 1–2.5 cm, margins flat to revolute, apex not recurved; nectaries obscure, covering most of tepals, yellow with dark reddish dots, elliptic; style obviously branched for more than 1/2 its length; branches longer than 1.5 mm. |
nodding, odorless or faintly fragrant; tepals white, striped green, 1–1.6 cm, apex not recurved; nectaries obscure, purplish to greenish, narrowly linear, forming narrow band 1/2–2/3 tepal length; style obviously branched for 1/2 its length, branches longer than 1.5 mm. |
Capsules | acutely angled. |
obtusely angled. |
2n | = 24. |
|
Fritillaria atropurpurea |
Fritillaria liliacea |
|
Phenology | Flowering May–Jul. | Flowering Feb–Apr. |
Habitat | Leaf mold under trees and shrubs | Heavy soil, open hills and fields near coast |
Elevation | 1000–3200 m. (3300–10500 ft.) | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WY
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CA
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Discussion | This species has the widest geographic distribution in the genus. It is easily confused with Fritillaria pinetorum as there is no one consistent, distinguishing trait. These two species are most easily identified in the field, but herbarium specimens can be successfully identified using a combination of flower posture and cauline leaf traits. In F. pinetorum the flowers are almost always erect, although some of the flowers may be ± spreading. In F. atropurpurea the flowers are nodding, with some flowers sometimes ± spreading. The habit of the flowers can be easily confused in pressed specimens, so careful attention to cauline leaf traits works best for them. Fritillaria pinetorum has long proximalmost cauline leaves that surpass the inflorescence, whereas the proximalmost cauline leaves in F. atropurpurea almost never exceed the inflorescence. For accurate identifications, it is best to look at several individuals from a location. The Lakota tribe used the whole plant of this species as a cancer cure. Plants were pulverized into a salve and applied to scrofulous swellings. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Fritillaria liliacea is sometimes confused with F. agrestis, which has flowers with an unpleasant odor. This species is in cultivation, and is considered rare and endangered in California. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 26, p. 167. | FNA vol. 26, p. 169. |
Parent taxa | Liliaceae > Fritillaria | Liliaceae > Fritillaria |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | F. adamantina, F. gracillima, F. linearis | |
Name authority | Nuttall: J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 54. (1834) | Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 20: under plate 1663. (1834) |
Web links |