Lilium washingtonianum
Lilium catesbaei
Cascade lily, Mount Hood lily, Shasta lily, Washington lily
pine lily
subrhizomatous to ± ovoid, 2.7–10 × 4.4–13.4 cm, 0.2–0.9(–1.4) times taller than long;
scales unsegmented or notched with 2(–3) poorly defined segments, sometimes 2-segmented, longest 3.3–11.9 cm;
stem roots absent.
ovoid, 1.6–2.5 × 1.3–2.4 cm, 0.8–1.6 times taller than long, 2 years’ growth evident, newer bearing prominent basal leaves, older with abscission scars;
scales few, loose, unsegmented or 2-segmented, longest 1–1.8 cm;
stem roots usually present, often numerous.
to 2 m, often glaucous.
to 0.9 m.
rounded in cross section.
rounded in cross section.
in 1–8 whorls or partial whorls, 3–16 leaves per whorl, horizontal and drooping at tips to ascending, occasionally nearly clasping stem, 3.7–12.3 × 0.9–4.7 cm, 2–6.5 times longer than wide;
blade oblanceolate, sometimes obovate, rarely elliptic, margins undulate or not, apex acute, often widely so;
veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.
scattered, ascending, distal appressed, 1.8–8.2 × 0.2–1.2 cm, 3.1–10.5 times longer than wide;
blade narrowly elliptic, sometimes linear or slightly oblanceolate, margins not undulate, apex acute, acuminate especially in distal leaves;
veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.
racemose, 1–33-flowered.
occasionally umbellate, 1(–3)-flowered.
opening before dusk, ± horizontal, slightly bilaterally symmetric, strongly fragrant;
perianth ± funnelform;
sepals and petals recurved 2/3–3/4 along length from base and scarcely overlapping to form tube, lower usually less recurved than upper and forming landing platform, white, often aging deep pink or lavender, often with short yellowish stripe extending from basal median nectaries, often with fine magenta spots concentrated basally, not distinctly clawed;
sepals sometimes purplish abaxially, not ridged abaxially, (6.1–)6.7–11.3 × 0.9–1.7 cm;
petals noticeably wider than sepals, oblanceolate and often very wide distally, (6.1–)6.6–11.2 × 1.1–2.4 cm, apex widely acute, obtuse, or rounded;
stamens barely exserted;
filaments barely spreading, diverging 2°–8° from axis;
anthers off white or cream, becoming pale pink or yellow, 0.8–1.5 cm;
pollen yellow or cream;
pistil 7.5–10.4 cm;
ovary 1.7–3.4 cm;
style pale green;
pedicel 4.8–15 cm.
erect, not fragrant;
perianth widely campanulate;
sepals and petals recurved 2/5–1/2 along length from base, crimson or sometimes pink, distinctly clawed, apex very narrowly acute, nectar guides above claws yellow to pale yellow and spotted maroon or magenta, ± equal;
sepals not ridged abaxially, 8.2–12 × 1.2–1.9 cm;
petals at proximal widest point much wider than sepals, 7.6–11.1 × 1.8–3.4 cm;
stamens moderately exserted;
filaments ± parallel to style, barely spreading, diverging 0°–12° from axis, often purple at base;
anthers variously colored tan-orange, brown, peachy magenta, or pale greenish, 0.4–1.6 cm;
pollen burnt orange or dark tan;
pistil 7.6–10.5 cm;
ovary 1.4–3.5 cm;
style pale green, sometimes darker distally;
pedicel 1.8–9.5 cm.
often with 6 longitudinal ridges, 2.7–5.8 × 1.6–2.9 cm, 1.3–2.3 times longer than wide.
often ridged along valve margins, 2.2–5.3 × 0.8–1.6 cm, 1.7–3.8 times longer than wide.
123–231.
not counted.
= 24.
Lilium washingtonianum
Lilium catesbaei
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The pine lily’s flower is the largest of any North American lily and one of the largest among our native monocots. In small plants it dwarfs and sometimes topples the slender stem. Leaves are small and relatively few and the bulb is petite, and thus resource limitation in smaller plants undoubtedly contributes to the wide range of fruit sizes within populations. In other North American members of the genus, small plants produce one or a few capsules, but typically these approach normal size.
Lilium catesbaei subsp. asprellum Wherry and L. catesbaei var. longii Fernald have been proposed to account for individuals with leaves concentrated toward the middle of the stem or somewhat wide and lacking basal leaves, respectively. These variants are not emphasized here since both are based primarily on vegetative features that vary greatly in most lilies. Isotypes of var. longii are unremarkable, though with somewhat wide leaves, and the broadly overlapping distribution of this variety with nominate populations (A. E. Radford et al. 1968) strongly suggests that such differences are primarily environmentally induced. Variety longii was described from Virginia, and Fernald’s observation that these northern plants lack basal leaves—which I have not investigated in the field—is unsurprising in those colder climates, and best considered in terms of the normal variation within a fairly wide-ranging species.
Although it is not yet rare, widespread alteration of native longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Miller) and slash pine (P. elliottii Engelmann) savanna, especially conversion to even-age pine plantations, is making steady inroads on populations of this most beautiful lily. It is adapted to frequent fires, and their suppression may contribute to this decline.
Lilium catesbaei is pollinated primarily by the palamedes swallowtail [Papilio palamedes (Drury), family Papilionidae], the only swallowtail that is widely endemic to this lily’s coastal plain habitat. Spicebush swallowtails (P. troilus Linnaeus) visit the pine lily less frequently, and their smaller size suggests that they are less effective pollinators than the larger palamedes.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Sepals and petals aging light pink or remaining white; bulbs sometimes (36%) without notched or segmented scales; sepals 8–11.3 cm; Sierra Nevada and s Cascades of California. | subsp. washingtonianum |
1. Sepals and petals aging deep pink or lavender; bulbs usually (88%) with some notched or segmented scales; sepals (6.1–)6.7–9.5 cm; mountains of n California and Oregon. | subsp. purpurascens |
CA
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
LA Plants
