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Cascade lily, Mount Hood lily, Shasta lily, Washington lily

Lilium columbianum

Columbia lily, Columbia tiger lily, Columbian lily, Oregon lily, tiger lily

Bulbs

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.

variable, subrhizomatous to ± ovoid, 3.1–8.1 × 3.6–10.6 cm, 0.3–1.4 times taller than long;

scales 2–3(–5)-segmented, some unsegmented, longest 3.1–7.3 cm;

stem roots absent.

Stems

to 2 m, often glaucous.

to 1.7 m, glaucous or not.

Buds

rounded in cross section.

rounded in cross section.

Leaves

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.

in 1–9 whorls or partial whorls, 3–25 leaves per whorl, usually ascending, 1.7–15.7 × 0.4–4.7 cm, 2.4–7.4 times longer than wide;

blade weakly oblanceolate to obovate or ± elliptic, margins usually somewhat undulate, apex acute;

veins and margins ± smooth abaxially.

Inflorescences

racemose, 1–33-flowered.

racemose, 1–25(–45)-flowered.

Flowers

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.

pendent to nodding, not fragrant;

perianth Turk’s-cap-shaped;

sepals and petals reflexed 2/5–1/2 along length from base, yellow or orange to occasionally red, with copious maroon spots, often darker and especially reddish abaxially, not distinctly clawed;

sepals not ridged abaxially, appearing wide for their length, 3.4–7.1 × 0.8–1.9 cm;

petals 3.5–6.9 × 0.8–1.9 cm;

stamens barely to moderately exserted;

filaments moderately spreading, diverging 10°–20° from axis;

anthers pale yellow to yellow, 0.5–1.3 cm;

pollen orange or yellow;

pistil 2.4–3.7 cm;

ovary 1.1–2.2 cm;

style green;

pedicel 2.8–20.2 cm.

Capsules

often with 6 longitudinal ridges, 2.7–5.8 × 1.6–2.9 cm, 1.3–2.3 times longer than wide.

2.2–5.4 × 1.1–2 cm, 1.7–3.3 times longer than wide.

Seeds

123–231.

135–330.

2n

= 24.

Lilium washingtonianum

Lilium columbianum

Phenology Flowering summer (early May–early Aug).
Habitat Coastal scrub and prairies, meadows, conifer or mixed forests, clearings, roadsides
Elevation 0–1800 m (0–5900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

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

The author citations often seen for this species derive from Baker (1874), who published the name as Lilium columbianum “Hanson in hort., Leichtlin”; this authority is given by various later writers as Hanson, or Baker, or Hanson ex Baker. However, Ducharte’s (1871) recapitulation of a letter from M. Leichtlin is apparently the first confirmed and valid publication of L. columbianum, and hence that citation is used here.

This widespread lily is rather variable. In California plants the stamens are considerably less exserted than those of plants found farther north. Lilium columbianum may intergrade with L. kelloggii along Highway 199 at the border between California and Oregon; these plants are slightly fragrant, the stamens moderately exserted, and the bulb scales unsegmented. Lilium columbianum hybridizes with L. pardalinum subspp. wigginsii and vollmeri, and extensively with L. occidentale in Oregon.

Lilium columbianum is pollinated primarily by rufous hummingbirds [Selasphorus rufus (J. F. Gmelin), family Trochilidae] and to a lesser extent by large butterflies, including the pale swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon Lucas, family Papilionidae).

Native Americans used Lilium columbianum bulbs as a food or peppery condiment, sometimes mixed with meat or salmon roe. For many, it was a staple food (J. Pojar and A. MacKinnon 1994).

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

Key
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
Source FNA vol. 26, p. 182. 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. pardalinum, L. parryi, L. parvum, L. philadelphicum, L. pyrophilum, L. rubescens, L. superbum
L. bolanderi, L. canadense, L. catesbaei, 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. washingtonianum subsp. purpurascens, L. washingtonianum subsp. washingtonianum
Synonyms L. canadense var. parviflorum, L. lucidum, L. parviflorum
Name authority Kellogg: Hesperian (San Francisco) 3: 340. (1859) Leichtlin ex Duchartre: J. Soc. Centr. Hort. France, sér. 2, 5: 98. (1871)
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