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

coast 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.

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 m, often glaucous.

to 1.2(–2.3) m, plants on coastal bluffs shorter than 0.25 m.

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.

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, 1–33-flowered.

racemose, 1–13-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.

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

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

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

Seeds

123–231.

120–237.

2n

= 24.

Lilium washingtonianum

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 2 (2 in the flora).

(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 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. 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. pardalinum, L. parryi, L. parvum, L. philadelphicum, L. pyrophilum, L. rubescens, L. superbum
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. washingtonianum subsp. purpurascens, L. washingtonianum subsp. washingtonianum
Name authority Kellogg: Hesperian (San Francisco) 3: 340. (1859) Kellogg: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 6: 140. (1875)
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