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Lilium pardalinum

California tiger lily, leopard lily, panther lily

coast 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.

rhizomatous, often irregular, unbranched, continuously scaly, 1.8–4.1 × 3–7.4 cm, 0.3–0.9 times taller than long;

scales usually unsegmented, a few 2-segmented, longest 1.5–3.8 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 1.2(–2.3) m, plants on coastal bluffs shorter than 0.25 m. Buds rounded in cross section.

Buds

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.

sometimes concentrated proximally, scattered or usually in 1–3 whorls or partial whorls, 3–17 leaves per whorl, horizontal and drooping at tips to ascending, 3.6–17.7 × 0.3–4.7 cm, 2.4–18 times longer than wide;

blade elliptic, sometimes narrowly so, rarely weakly oblanceolate or obovate, margins not undulate, apex acute or narrowly so;

veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.

Inflorescences

racemose, 1–28(–35)-flowered.

racemose, 1–13-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, rarely horizontal, not fragrant;

perianth campanulate;

sepals and petals reflexed or rolled 1/2–4/5 along length from base, red or red-orange, with maroon spots concentrated proximally along longitudinal median and surrounded by light orange or occasionally yellow-green, not distinctly clawed;

sepals not ridged abaxially, 3.4–5 × 0.9–1.3 cm;

petals 3.5–5 × 0.9–1.3 cm;

stamens included;

filaments somewhat spreading, diverging 3°–14° from axis;

anthers light magenta, 0.4–1.2 cm;

pollen orange;

pistil 2.2–3.2 cm;

ovary 1–1.8 cm;

style green;

pedicel 6.3–32 cm.

Capsules

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

2.4–4.1 × 1.2–2 cm, 1.5–2.4 times longer than wide.

Seeds

123–264.

120–237.

2n

= 24.

Lilium pardalinum

Lilium maritimum

Phenology Flowering summer (late May–Jul).
Habitat Coastal prairies, north coastal scrub, sundew (Drosera spp.) bogs, gaps in closed-cone pine forests
Elevation 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Lilium maritimum is known in California from below San Francisco to about Westport in Mendocino County, and invariably grows within a few miles of the ocean. The coast lily has suffered grave declines in the past century and has been extirpated from the southern part of its range. The recent rediscovery of a population in Marin County at Point Reyes National Seashore is heartening, but development of coastal prairie farther north continues to be a threat.

The combination of nodding habit and campanulate perianth with rolled sepal and petal tips is unique among the North American lilies. Hybrids with Lilium pardalinum are known; these can be clonal and their flowers are morphologically intermediate between the parents.

Lilium maritimum is pollinated sequentially, first by Allen’s [Selasphorus sassin (Lesson), family Trochilidae] and Anna’s hummingbirds [Calypte anna (Lesson)], and later in the blooming cycle by several different bumblebees (Bombus Latrielle, family Apidae).

(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. 187.
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. bolanderi, L. canadense, L. catesbaei, L. columbianum, L. grayi, L. humboldtii, L. iridollae, L. kelleyanum, L. kelloggii, L. lancifolium, 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
Name authority Kellogg: Hesperian (San Francisco) 3: 300. (1859) Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 6: 140. (1875)
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