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chocolate-lily, mission bells

stink bells

Bulb scales

large 2–8; small 0–4.

large 2–9; small 0–2.

Stem

1–4.5 dm.

3–6 dm.

Leaves

3–7, alternate, often ± crowded just above ground level, 5–19 cm;

blade linear or oblong to narrowly ovate.

5–12, alternate, crowded near proximal center of stem, 5–15 cm;

blade linear to lanceolate-oblong.

Flowers

nodding, odorless or sometimes with unpleasant odor;

tepals dark brown to greenish purple or yellowish green, narrowly ovoid, 1.8–4 cm, apex not recurved;

nectaries prominent, purplish to greenish, narrowly linear, forming narrow band 2/3 to equaling tepal length;

style obviously branched for 1/2–2/3 its length, branches longer than 1.5 mm.

nodding, odor definitely unpleasant;

tepals greenish to purplish brown adaxially, white or yellow abaxially, ovate, 1.8–3.5 cm, apex not recurved;

nectaries prominent, green, narrowly linear, forming narrow band 2/3 to equaling tepal length;

style obviously branched for 1/2 its length, branches longer than 1.5 mm.

Capsules

angled.

angled.

2n

= 24.

Fritillaria biflora

Fritillaria agrestis

Phenology Flowering Mar–Apr.
Habitat Depressions with clay or other heavy soils
Elevation 0–500 m (0–1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

This species is sometimes confused with Fritillaria agrestis, which grows in heavier soil and has flowers with an unpleasant odor. Fritillaria roderickii is still recognized by some botanists, but it appears to be little more than a localized flower-color variant of F. biflora var. biflora, and is valued by horticulturists for this reason.

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

This species is uncommon.

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

Key
1. Leaf blade widely lanceolate to oblanceolate.
var. biflora
1. Leaf blade linear to narrowly lanceolate.
var. ineziana
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 168. FNA vol. 26.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Fritillaria Liliaceae > Fritillaria
Sibling taxa
F. affinis, F. agrestis, F. atropurpurea, F. brandegeei, F. camschatcensis, F. eastwoodiae, F. falcata, F. gentneri, F. glauca, F. liliacea, F. micrantha, F. ojaiensis, F. pinetorum, F. pluriflora, F. pudica, F. purdyi, F. recurva, F. striata, F. viridea
F. affinis, F. atropurpurea, F. biflora, F. brandegeei, F. camschatcensis, F. eastwoodiae, F. falcata, F. gentneri, F. glauca, F. liliacea, F. micrantha, F. ojaiensis, F. pinetorum, F. pluriflora, F. pudica, F. purdyi, F. recurva, F. striata, F. viridea
Subordinate taxa
F. biflora var. biflora, F. biflora var. ineziana
Synonyms F. biflora var. agrestis
Name authority Lindley: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 20: under plate 1663. (1834) Greene: Erythea 3: 67. (1895)
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