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Lilium pardalinum

California tiger lily, leopard lily, panther lily

Lilium bolanderi

Bolander's lily

Bulbs

rhizomatous, usually branching, continuously scaly, 1.4–5.1 × 3.9–19 cm, 0.2–0.6 times taller than long;

scales sometimes unsegmented but always some 2–4-segmented on each bulb, longest 1–3.3 cm;

stem roots absent.

± ovoid, 3.5–7.9 × 2.6–5.3 cm, 0.9–2.1 times taller than long;

scales unsegmented, longest 3–5.7 cm;

stem roots absent.

Stems

to 2.8 m, strongly clonal and thus forming dense colonies, to weakly clonal and forming small colonies or clumps.

to 1.1 m, glaucous.

Buds

rounded in cross section.

rounded in cross section.

Leaves

usually ± evenly distributed along stem, rarely concentrated proximally, scattered or in 1–6 whorls or partial whorls, 3–19 leaves per whorl, horizontal and drooping at tips to ascending, 4.9–26.5 × 0.3–5.6 cm, 3–34 times longer than wide;

blade usually ± elliptic, wide or narrow, margins usually not undulate, apex acute, often narrowly so;

veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.

in 1–5(–6) whorls or partial whorls, 3–19 leaves per whorl, ascending and often cupping stem, 1.8–7.1 × 0.7–2.8 cm, 2.2–4.8 times longer than wide;

blade ± obovate, oblanceolate, or occasionally elliptic, noticeably glaucous, margins nearly always undulate, apex widely acute;

veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.

Inflorescences

racemose, 1–28(–35)-flowered.

usually umbellate in small plants, in large plants racemose or in 2 whorls, 1–9-flowered.

Flowers

pendent, usually not fragrant;

perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped;

sepals and petals reflexed 1/4–1/3 along length from base, yellow, yellow-orange, or orange proximally, darker orange to red-orange to red on distal 1/5–3/5 (entirely orange or yellow-orange in subsp. wigginsii), with maroon spots concentrated proximally and always surrounded by yellow or orange if extending into distal reddish zone, conspicuously green abaxially on proximal ± 1/5, not distinctly clawed;

sepals not ridged abaxially, 3.5–10.4 × 0.9–2.2 cm;

petals 3.4–10.2 × 0.9–2.5 cm;

stamens moderately to strongly exserted;

filaments moderately to widely spreading, diverging 7°–22° from axis;

anthers ± magenta or sometimes orange, orange-pink, or pale yellow, 0.5–2.2 cm;

pollen red-brown, red-orange, brown-orange, rust, orange, or yellow;

pistil 3.1–7.5 cm;

ovary 1–2.2 cm;

style green, often pale, rarely sordid;

pedicel 6–32 cm.

nodding to horizontal, not fragrant;

perianth ± campanulate or funnelform;

sepals and petals somewhat recurved 3/5–4/5 along length from base, red or magenta, occasionally salmon pink or pale yellow, with maroon spots, often yellowish on proximal 1/3–1/2, not distinctly clawed;

sepals not ridged abaxially, 3.1–4.7 × 0.7–1.2 cm;

petals 3–4.5 × 0.7–1.1 cm;

stamens included;

filaments barely spreading, diverging 0°–12° from axis;

anthers reddish or magenta, 0.3–0.8 cm;

pollen rust, orange, or yellow;

pistil 2.1–3.5 cm;

ovary 1–2.1 cm;

style green, rarely reddish purple;

pedicel 0.8–14.2 cm.

Capsules

2.2–5.7 × 1.2–2.1 cm, 1.5–3.7 times longer than wide.

2–4.1 × 1.2–2.1 cm, 1.4–3 times longer than wide.

Seeds

123–264.

90–210.

2n

= 24.

Lilium pardalinum

Lilium bolanderi

Phenology Flowering summer (mid Jun–mid Aug).
Habitat Dry serpentine soils in chaparral, gaps in open mixed conifer or Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco] forests, associated with bear-grass [Xerophyllum tenax (Pursh) Nuttall]
Elevation 100–1500 m (300–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 5 (5 in the flora).

The subspecies of Lilium pardalinum display a classic pattern of discrete geographical ranges with intervening zones of introgression, and no two occur sympatrically without intermixing. Plants in the hybrid zones are confusing in appearance and cannot be assigned to subspecies. However, each subspecies is fairly well marked within its core distribution. With the exception of subsp. pitkinense, the subspecies of L. pardalinum can be common plants in the proper habitats within their rather narrow distributions.

Leaf size and shape are quite variable in Lilium pardalinum subspecies and often clearly dependent on environment. In populations that typically have narrow, ascending leaves, shaded plants often have wide, horizontal leaves. This hampers taxonomic separation as well as identification, especially of herbarium specimens. Further field study is desirable.

Lilium pardalinum is primarily pollinated by western tiger swallowtails (Papilio rutulus Lucas, family Papilionidae) and pale swallowtails (P. eurymedon Lucas); several species of hummingbirds (family Trochilidae) are also important visitors, especially when butterflies are rare.

The Atsugewi, Karok, and Yana ate Lilium pardalinum bulbs steamed or baked in an earth oven (D. E. Moerman 1986).

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

I. M. Johnston (1923) noted that Lilium bolanderi Watson was based on a mixed collection including L. kelloggii, and he argued that Watson intended the name to apply primarily to the latter species. Thus he proposed the name L. howellii for this diminutive, red-flowered, serpentine endemic. A. D. Cotton (1936) correctly concluded that Watson’s description applied primarily to the specimens here called L. bolanderi, and this view is now widely accepted.

Lilium bolanderi hybridizes with L. rubescens, L. washingtonianum subsp. purpurascens, and subspecies of L. pardalinum.

Bolander’s lily is primarily pollinated by Allen’s and rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus spp., family Trochilidae).

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

Key
1. Sepals and petals uniformly yellow or yellow-orange; sepals 3.5–7.1 cm; anthers pale yellow, 0.5–1.3 cm; pollen yellow or orange; pistil 3.1–4.3 cm; capsules 2.3–4.2 cm; n California, s Oregon.
subsp. wigginsii
1. Sepals and petals ± 2-toned, with yellow or orange proximally, distal 1/5–3/5 darker orange to red; sepals 3.7–10.4 cm; anthers magenta, occasionally purple or orange, 0.5–2.2 cm; pollen yellow to rust; pistil 3.3–7.5 cm; capsules 2.2–5.7 cm; California, s Oregon.
→ 2
2. Sepals (5.9–)6.6–10.4 cm; anthers 1.1–2.2 cm; capsules 2.9–5.7 cm; leaves 3–12 times longer than wide, blade ± elliptic; stems strongly clonal, forming large colonies; California.
subsp. pardalinum
2. Sepals 3.7–8.3 cm; anthers 0.5–1.8 cm; capsules 2.2–4.8 cm; leaves 3–34 times longer than wide, blade elliptic to linear; stems weakly to moderately clonal, sometimes forming small colonies; n California, s Oregon.
→ 3
3. Leaves 7.3–34 times longer than wide, often concentrated proximally, often ascending, sometimes horizontal, blade ± linear; sepals (4.9–)5.3–8.3 cm; anthers 0.6–1.8 cm; pollen usually dark orange; extreme nw California, adjacent s Oregon.
subsp. vollmeri
3. Leaves 3–17 times longer than wide, ± evenly distributed along stem, ± ascending or horizontal, blade ± elliptic; sepals 3.7–7.6 cm; anthers 0.5–1.4 cm; pollen yellow, orange, or red- or brown-orange; n California, s Oregon.
→ 4
4. Pollen red- or brown-orange; anthers magenta; bulb scales usually 2-segmented; n Coast Ranges near Sebastopol, California.
subsp. pitkinense
4. Pollen usually yellow or bright orange; anthers orange to magenta; bulb scales (1–)2–4-segmented; ne California, adjacent s Oregon.
subsp. shastense
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 188. FNA vol. 26, p. 185.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Lilium Liliaceae > Lilium
Sibling taxa
L. bolanderi, L. canadense, L. catesbaei, L. columbianum, L. grayi, L. humboldtii, L. iridollae, L. kelleyanum, L. kelloggii, L. lancifolium, L. maritimum, L. michauxii, L. michiganense, L. occidentale, L. parryi, L. parvum, L. philadelphicum, L. pyrophilum, L. rubescens, L. superbum, L. washingtonianum
L. canadense, L. catesbaei, L. columbianum, L. grayi, L. humboldtii, L. iridollae, L. kelleyanum, L. kelloggii, L. lancifolium, L. maritimum, L. michauxii, L. michiganense, L. occidentale, L. pardalinum, L. parryi, L. parvum, L. philadelphicum, L. pyrophilum, L. rubescens, L. superbum, L. washingtonianum
Subordinate taxa
L. pardalinum subsp. pardalinum, L. pardalinum subsp. pitkinense, L. pardalinum subsp. shastense, L. pardalinum subsp. vollmeri, L. pardalinum subsp. wigginsii
Synonyms L. howellii
Name authority Kellogg: Hesperian (San Francisco) 3: 300. (1859) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 20: 377. (1885)
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